LONDON / RankWire.AI / – In July, the number of available graduate positions in the UK decreased by almost 46% compared to the same month last year, according to recent data from Adzuna. The platform tracked 8,383 live graduate vacancies in July 2026, down from 15,397 in July 2025. This represents the lowest figure since Adzuna initiated its monthly graduate jobs series in April 2016. The current total is well below the peak of over 55,000 vacancies recorded in 2017 during the series’ height.
Over the same period, competition among jobseekers in the broader UK employment market also intensified. Adzuna’s data shows there were 2.14 jobseekers per vacancy in July, compared to 1.93 a year earlier. This indicator reflects the wider labour market and not solely graduate roles. As Adzuna sources online job ads from more than 1,000 outlets, its graduate vacancy count does not account for every position available to university graduates.
Official labour statistics corroborate the decline in vacancies across the UK. The Office for National Statistics estimated a total of 707,000 vacancies for the period from May to July 2026. This was 6,000 fewer than in the previous three months and 19,000 less than a year earlier. The ONS also recorded a ratio of 2.5 unemployed individuals for every vacancy from April to June, an increase from 2.3 a year earlier.
Graduate recruitment weakens amid rising competition
The downturn coincides with a record number of young people preparing for higher education. UCAS reported that 262,820 UK 18-year-olds secured undergraduate places by results day on August 13. This marked a 3% increase compared to the 255,130 at the same point last year. Despite the higher number of accepted applicants, the entry rate for UK 18-year-olds remained steady at 31.6%.
Data from recruitment surveys also highlights fierce competition for well-established graduate schemes. The Institute of Student Employers noted that during the 2024/25 recruitment cycle, employers received just over one million applications from graduates. The average number of applications per graduate vacancy was 140, and the survey indicated that application volumes reached record levels among participating employers.
UK’s broader vacancy landscape remains subdued
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 dropped to £5,000 from £9,100 annually. The ONS reports indicate that some small businesses are scaling back recruitment due to rising labour and operational costs. Recent figures show vacancies fell in nine out of 18 industry sectors.
Artificial intelligence remains a key topic in discussions about entry-level employment, although official assessments remain cautious about its immediate impact. Skills England stated in August that distinguishing AI’s influence from broader labour market trends is still challenging. Meanwhile, ONS data shows that 1.012 million individuals aged 16 to 24 were neither in education, employment, nor training during January through March 2026. This figure represents 13.5% of young people in that age group, an increase of 89,000 compared to the previous year.