UKH warns of sharp fall in summer job vacancies

The sharp drop in hospitality job vacancies this summer has prompted warnings from UKHospitality that the “great British summer job” may be under threat.

Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKH, blamed rising costs for “less employment, less opportunity and less growth in the economy”. 

Simpson said: “Unless the government acts, we could well be seeing the death of the great British summer job. That’s not good for the economy, for businesses, or for the people that need this flexible work during the summer.”

UKH’s concerns come as the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) released new data which shows a 25% year-on-year drop in unique postings for hospitality roles, with 22,369 fewer vacancies than the same period in 2024.

The decline comes despite a boom in domestic tourism. Tourist spending on day visits in England rose by 6% in 2024 to £48.4bn, following a 15% increase in 2023. In April, the latest month available, UK residents took 68.6m trips within the country – up 10% compared to April 2024.

The fall in hiring coincides with changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) announced in last year’s Budget, which have added £3.4bn in annual costs for hospitality firms. Since then, the sector has lost 84,000 jobs.

Simpson added: “This is the time when hospitality businesses would be frantically hiring staff for the busy summer months, when the sector expects to welcome families to their hotels, and serve millions of people with ice cream on the beach, fish and chips on the pier, and cold pints in the pub garden.

“I know from personal experience how important hospitality summer jobs are for getting young people experience of work, however hiring this year has fallen off dramatically, with 22,000 fewer jobs available compared to last year. We need to see action in the Budget to reverse this damage. That starts with fixing NICs, lowering business rates and cutting VAT for hospitality businesses.”

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said: “Hospitality is one of the UK’s biggest entry points into work, but right now, we are shutting people out before they even get a foot in the door. A drop of over 22,000 job postings as we reach the height of the summer season is not just a staffing gap, it is a red flag for the wider economy. It puts recruiters, hospitality businesses and customers under massive pressure to make the most of the short-lived English summer.

“We cannot keep loading new costs onto employers if we want vibrant high streets, thriving pubs and strong local economies. The government needs to deliver an Autumn Budget that supports hiring, which means no tax timebombs, a rethink on business rates and recognising hospitality as a vital engine for national growth.”