Hospitality job vacancies fall but remain above pre-pandemic levels

There were 112,000 vacancies in hospitality at the end of 2023, down from 147,000 the year before, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

However, current vacancies are still higher than pre-pandemic, when they stood at 89,000.

UKHospitality has called for measures to help the sector invest and develop its staff, primarily through reforming the apprenticeship levy.

"It's encouraging news that vacancies over the past year have fallen by such a considerable amount. Hospitality businesses have invested heavily in their recruitment and how they develop their own talent – this progress is testament to their work," said Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality.

"However, there is still much more to do. We still have 23,000 more vacancies than before the pandemic and recruitment is still challenging. It's why our vacancy rate remains high at 8%.

"Hospitality can continue to drive down vacancies and create more jobs, if we are supported to do so. Reform of the apprenticeship levy would allow businesses to enhance their skills and development offering even further and is something the entire economy is supportive of.

"What's incredibly pressing is reducing the cost burden for venues, which continues to be the driver of closures. The National Living Wage increase in April is at the forefront of everyone's mind right now and measures to reduce business costs are critical to help venues with the increased wage cost this brings."

The macro-economic climate in the UK remains uncertain. Economists had expected inflation to fall to 3.8% today, but a surprise rise of 4% was recorded for the year to December by the ONS, up from 3.9% in the previous month.

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