Graduate Jobs Plummet to Record Low Amid Tax Rise Fallout

Graduate job vacancies have hit their lowest level since records began in 2016, according to new data from recruitment website Adzuna. In July, just 8,383 graduate roles were advertised, down 45% on the same month last year.

This decline is part of a longer-term trend: graduate vacancies have fallen by 85% since peaking at over 55,000 in 2017.

Employers are citing increased costs due to rises in employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage as a major factor behind the decline. Huw Pill, chief economist at the Bank of England, previously noted that these changes had a 'particular effect on young people.'