UK jobseekers say employers are hiring fewer staff – whom they expect to do more for less pay

“This is the worst I’ve ever experienced in the job market, including the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, which also left me unemployed for a time, and the pandemic,” said David Hoghton-Carter, 46, a corporate strategy professional from Leeds.

Hoghton-Carter was among the 1.57 million people in the UK who were trying to find work between September and November 2024, and is still hunting after nearly two years.