Candidate Availability Is Rising at the Fastest Rate in Over Four Years

Candidate availability in the UK labour market has increased at the fastest rate since December 2020. Our 2025 people2people UK Market Report highlights the same trend that has been flagged, with the volume of candidates rising sharply due to redundancies and subdued hiring activity.

Liz Jones at people2people UK notes that the shift represents a clear imbalance.

"Candidate supply is surging as job openings contract," she commented, in line with findings from our 2025 market report. "More people are actively looking but there are fewer roles available. This impacts how recruiters and HR managers plan talent attraction and engagement strategies."

The increase in candidate availability has also influenced pay trends. Salary growth has remained modest due to reduced hiring budgets and greater competition for fewer active roles.

"With more talent available and slower demand from employers, organisations are better positioned to be selective," Liz shared from our analysis. "This is a chance to focus on quality of hire rather than speed of hire."

In a market with rising candidate supply and fewer opportunities, jobseekers become more discerning. They are assessing potential employers based on culture, flexibility, development opportunities, and brand values.

Liz Jones advises that businesses should:

• Clearly articulate what makes them stand out to candidates
• Review their employer value proposition against market expectations
• Consider investing in candidate experience platforms and employer branding
• Maintain recruitment agility so they can swiftly fill roles when market conditions improve

Our 2025 report shows that while hiring activity remains subdued, there are early signs of resilience in sectors such as engineering, logistics and healthcare.

"This market may feel cautious," Liz explains, "but there are pockets of opportunity. Organisations that maintain readiness will be first to tap into recovering sectors and talent pools."