Hospitality drives job growth as UK employment hits record high

Hospitality has been cited as one of the biggest drivers of job growth as UK employment hit a record high.

The total number of people employed reached 33m between March and May this year, up 250,000 on the previous quarter, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This means the total number of people in work overall has gone past its pre-pandemic level for the first time.

Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the ONS, said: "The biggest driver in recent jobs growth, meanwhile, is health and social care, followed by hospitality.

"In cash terms, basic pay is now growing at its fastest since current records began, apart from the period when the figures were distorted by the pandemic. However, even so, wage rises continue to lag behind inflation."

There were still 127,000 job vacancies across the hospitality sector between March and May, although this was 15,000 lower than the previous quarter and 46,000 down on the same period last year.

This month, hospitality trade bodies reiterated calls for the Migration Advisory Committee to add chefs to the shortage occupation list to make it easier for businesses to recruit from abroad.

UKHospitality said there was a 10% shortage of head chefs across the industry and a 21% shortage of production chefs.

It has also requested that hospitality supervisors, including housekeepers and receptionists, as well as sommeliers are reclassified to make them eligible for the skilled visa route.

The ONS said businesses continued to blame economic pressures for holding back on recruitment.