LONDON / RankWire.AI / – According to recent data from Adzuna, the number of graduate job vacancies in the UK dropped by almost 46% in July compared to the same month last year. The platform listed 8,383 active graduate roles, a significant decrease from 15,397 in July 2025. This figure represents the lowest level since Adzuna launched its monthly graduate jobs series in April 2016. The current total is also well below the peak of over 55,000 vacancies recorded in 2017.
At the same time, competition in the broader UK employment market grew more intense. Adzuna’s data shows there were 2.14 jobseekers for every vacancy in July, compared to 1.93 a year earlier. This metric covers the overall labour market rather than just graduate positions. Since Adzuna gathers online job listings from more than 1,000 sources, its count of graduate vacancies does not include every opportunity available to university graduates.
Official labour market statistics also indicate a decline in vacancies nationwide. The Office for National Statistics estimated that between May and July 2026, there were 707,000 vacancies. This was 6,000 fewer than in the previous three months and 19,000 less than the same period a year earlier. The ONS further reported that there were 2.5 unemployed individuals per vacancy from April to June, up from 2.3 a year earlier.
Graduate Recruitment Slows as Competition Intensifies
The downturn in vacancies coincides with a record number of young people preparing to start higher education. According to UCAS, 262,820 UK 18-year-olds had secured undergraduate places by results day on August 13. This number is up 3% from the 255,130 recorded at the same stage last year. Despite this increase in accepted offers, the entry rate for UK 18-year-olds remained steady at 31.6%.
Data from recruitment agencies also reveal fierce competition for well-established graduate schemes. The Institute of Student Employers reported that during the 2024/25 recruitment cycle, participating employers received just over one million applications. On average, employers received 140 applications for each graduate vacancy, according to their latest student recruitment survey. The organization noted that application volumes among participating employers stayed at record highs.
UK’s Overall Vacancy Market Remains Underwhelming
Since April 2025, hiring expenses have been affected by previously announced tax changes. The employer National Insurance rate increased to 15% from 13.8%, while the secondary threshold for the year dropped to £5,000 from £9,100. The ONS’s vacancy survey indicates that some small businesses are scaling back recruitment due to rising labour and operational costs. The latest data shows vacancies declined in nine out of eighteen industry sectors.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly discussed in relation to entry-level jobs, although official assessments remain cautious regarding its immediate impact. Skills England stated in August that distinguishing AI’s influence from broader labour market trends continues to be challenging. Meanwhile, ONS data shows that during January through March 2026, 1.012 million individuals aged 16 to 24 were neither in education, employment, nor training. This represents 13.5% of that age group and shows an increase of 89,000 from the previous year.