UKH urges government to improve vacancy rate ahead of summer
The trade body argues that solutions such as changes to the immigration system and the Apprenticeship Levy reform could solve the crisis
UKHospitality is urging the government to take action and improve the vacancy rate for the sector as the latest ONS figures show 140,000 job vacancies.
The trade body warns that months of no positive movement in vacancy levels endangers the summer season as venues are forced to reduce opening hours due to staff shortages.
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said that the summer season is not a time of optimism for the hospitality sector anymore, which is facing vacancies 48% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
UKH also argues that there are solutions available to solve this crisis, including making changes to the immigration system to boost the workforce as well as reforming the Apprenticeship Levy to enhance “home-grown talent”.
Nicholls added: “The results are stark. Nearly half of businesses are being forced to reduce opening hours per day and a third are reducing the days they open per week. There is no doubt that the sector will be going into the summer understaffed, with significant knock-on impacts for consumers.
“If hospitality businesses were fully staffed, we could be contributing so much more to the Government goals of economic growth and driving down inflation. That should be incentive enough for the Government to heed our calls and take action.”
