TRADESPEOPLE are struggling to expand their businesses because of growing costs, bureaucracy and hiring pressures, a new study suggests.
A survey of 850 tradespeople working across the UK by Checkatrade showed they were eager to contribute to the Government’s plan for growth, but challenges were preventing them from doing so.
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Tradespeople are struggling to expand their businesses due to rising costsCredit: Alamy
Four out of five of those surveyed said rising costs of materials and tools, plus increased levels of tool theft, were preventing them from growing their business.
In April the Government increased the rate of National Insurance contributions from 13.8% to 15%.
It also lowered the threshold at which employers start paying National Insurance from £9,100 to £5,000.
This has piled further pressure onto tradespeople already struggling to make ends meet.
Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive of Checkatrade, said: “The UK is a nation dependent on the trade industry — from carpenters to electricians, decorators to roofers.
“The 900,000 people behind it couldn’t be more important for propelling our economy.”
He said that the research shows how eager tradespeople are to contribute to the Government’s growth agenda.
As part of the plan the Government wants to improve the UK’s rate of economic growth and boost national productivity.
But while there is lots of optimism and significant opportunities for growth, there are still significant challenges tradespeople face.
Palaniappan said: “The Government needs to work with industry to close skills gaps, ensure apprenticeships work for small businesses, and do everything they can to reduce the burdens, the costs, and the taxes that can stifle tradespeople’s growth.”
What support is available?
If you are self-employed and are struggling with the higher cost of living, then there is support available to you.
You can apply if you need to top up your income and have low income and savings.
But you won’t be eligible if you live with a spouse or partner and have combined savings of more than £16,000 or your partner earns too much.
Key tax deadlines YOU need to know
YOU may need to file a tax return if you are self-employed and earned more than £1,000 in the last financial year. Here are all the key deadlines you need to know.
October 5, 2025
If you are filing a tax return for the first time, then you need to register for Self Assessment by October 5, 2025.
If you register after October 5, then HMRC will send you a letter or email with a different deadline to send your tax return by.
This will be three months from the date on the letter or email.
October 31, 2025
If you want to send in a paper tax return, then you need to do so by 11:59pm on 31 October, 2025, or you’ll get a late filing penalty.
December 30, 2025
If you want to pay your Self Assessment bill through your tax code, you must submit it by 11:59pm on December 30, 2025.
If you miss this deadline, you’ll have to pay another way.
January 31, 2026
You need to submit your online tax return by 11:59pm on 31 January 2026, or you’ll get a late filing penalty.
Plus, you need to pay any tax you owe by 11:59pm on January 31, 2026, or you’ll get a penalty.
July 31, 2026
There is a second payment deadline of July 31 if you make payments towards your bill.
These are known as “payments on account”.
Penalties
It’s important to file your tax return on time to avoid being hit with hefty penalties.
If you miss the deadline to file your tax return, then you will get an initial £100 penalty.
After three months you will also be hit with daily penalties of £10 a day, up to a maximum of £900.
After six months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greatest.
After 12 months, you will be hit with another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater.
You can check if you are eligible and your claim is likely to be successful by using a benefits calculator.
Turn2us and Entitledto both offer calculators that can help you check whether you qualify.
You will need to attend a gateway interview with a DWP work coach so they can check that being self-employed is your main job.
They will also confirm if you are making a profit or are expected to if you’ve just started out.
This means you’ll need to provide evidence such as receipts, a business plan, copies of invoices, trading accounts or proof you’ve registered as self-employed with HMRC.
If you don’t have enough evidence, then they may decide that you’re not “gainfully” self-employed.
You will need to look and be eligible for other work while you get Universal Credit.
For more information and to apply visit the GOV.UK website.
Employment and Support Allowance
If you’re self-employed, then you can’t claim Statutory Sick Pay.
But if you’ve paid enough National Insurance, then you may be able to claim the new-style Employment and Support Allowance if you’re ill.
If you qualify for the benefit, then you can claim it regardless of your household income or savings.
But if you haven’t paid enough National Insurance, then you may be able to claim the limited capability for work and work-related activity element of Universal Credit.
To be eligible your savings must be less than £16,000.
If you live with a partner, then their income will also be taken into account as part of the claim for Universal Credit.
For information on if you qualify for Employment and Support Allowance and what to do if you don’t visit GOV.UK.
Cut your tax bill
You could be missing out on key tax allowances that could save you hundreds of pounds a year.
If you work from home, then you may be able to claim for costs associated with work, such as business phone calls, gas and electricity.
If you work from home between 51 and 100 hours a month, then you could get £18.
Meanwhile, if you work for more than 101 hours a month from home, then you could get £26 a month – or £312 a year.
If the amount of time you work from home varies month-to-month, then you can claim the relevant amount for that month.
The American job market, a pillar of U.S. economic strength since the pandemic, is crumbling under the weight of President Trump’s erratic economic policies.
Uncertain about where things are headed, companies have grown increasingly reluctant to hire, leaving agonized job seekers unable to find work and weighing on consumers who account for 70% of all U.S. economic activity. Their spending has been the engine behind the world’s biggest economy since the COVID-19 disruptions of 2020.
The Labor Department reported Friday that U.S. employers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — added just 22,000 jobs last month, down from 79,000 in July and well below the 80,000 that economists had expected.
The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3% last month, also worse than expected and the highest since 2021.
“U.S. labor market deterioration intensified in August,’’ Scott Anderson, chief U.S. economist at BMO Capital Market, wrote in a commentary, noting that hiring was “slumping dangerously close to stall speed. This raises the risk of a harder landing for consumer spending and the economy in the months ahead.’’
Alexa Mamoulides, 27, was laid off in the spring from a job at a research publishing company and has been hunting for work ever since. She uses a spreadsheet to track her progress and said she’s applied for 111 positions and had 14 interviews — but hasn’t landed a job yet.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs,” Mamoulides said. “At the beginning I wasn’t too stressed, but now that September is here, I’ve been wondering how much longer it will take. It’s validating that the numbers bear out my experience, but also discouraging.’’
The U.S. job market has lost momentum this year, partly because of the lingering effects of 11 interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve’s inflation fighters in 2022 and 2023.
But the hiring slump also reflects Trump’s policies, including his sweeping and ever-changing tariffs on imports from almost every country, his crackdown on immigration and purges of the federal workforce.
Also contributing to the job market’s doldrums are an aging population and the threat that artificial intelligence poses to young, entry-level workers.
After revisions shaved 21,000 jobs off June and July payrolls, the U.S. economy is creating fewer than 75,000 jobs a month so far this year, less than half the 2024 average of 168,000 and not even a quarter of the 400,000 jobs added monthly in the hiring boom of 2021-2023.
When the Labor Department put out a disappointing jobs report a month ago, an enraged Trump responded by firing the economist in charge of compiling the numbers and nominating a loyalist to replace her.
“The warning bell that rang in the labor market a month ago just got louder,” Olu Sonola, head of U.S economic research at Fitch Rates, wrote in a commentary. “It’s hard to argue that tariff uncertainty isn’t a key driver of this weakness.”
Trump contends that his protectionist policies are meant to help American manufacturers. But factories shed 12,000 workers last month and 38,000 so far this year. Many manufacturers are hurt, not helped, by Trump’s tariffs on steel, aluminum and other imported raw materials and components.
Construction companies, which rely on immigrant workers vulnerable to stepped-up immigration raids under Trump, cut 7,000 jobs in August, the third straight drop. The sweeping tax-and-spending bill that Trump signed into law July 4 delivered more money for immigration officers, making threats of massive deportations more plausible.
The federal government, its workforce targeted by Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency team, cut 15,000 jobs last month. Diane Swonk, chief economist at the tax and consulting firm KPMG, said the job market “will hit a cliff in October, when 151,000 federal workers who took buyouts will come off the payrolls.’’
And any job gains made last month were remarkably narrow: Healthcare and social assistance companies — a broad category including hospitals and day-care centers — added nearly 47,000 jobs in August and now account for 87% of the private sector jobs created in 2025.
Democrats were quick to pounce on the report, arguing it is evidence that Trump’s policies were damaging the economy and hurting ordinary Americans.
“Americans cannot afford any more of Trump’s disastrous economy. Hiring is frozen, jobless claims are rising, and the unemployment rate is now higher than it has been in years,” said Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. “The president is squeezing every wallet as he chases an illegal tariff agenda that is hiking costs, spooking investment and stunting domestic manufacturing.″
Trump’s sweeping import taxes — tariffs — are taking a toll on businesses that rely on foreign suppliers.
Trick or Treat Studios in Santa Cruz, for instance, gets 50% of its supplies from Mexico, 40% from China and the rest from Thailand. The company, which makes ghoulish replica masks of such horror icons as Chucky the doll from the “Child’s Play” movies as well as costumes, props, action figures and games, has seen its tariff bill rise to $389,000 this year, said co-founder Christopher Zephro. He was forced to raise prices across the board by 15%.
In May, Zephro had to cut 15 employees, or 25% of his workforce. That marked the first time he’s had to lay off staff since he started the company in 2009. ″That’s a lot money that could have been used to hire more people, bring in more product, develop more products,” he said. “We had to do layoffs because of tariffs. It was one of the worst days of my life.”
Josh Hirt, senior economist at the financial services firm Vanguard, said that the tumbling payroll numbers also reflect a reduced supply of workers — the consequence of an aging U.S. population and a reduction in immigration. “We should get more comfortable seeing numbers below 75,000 and below 50,000’’ new jobs a month, he said. “The likelihood of seeing negative [jobs] numbers is higher,’’ he said.
Economists are also beginning to worry that artificial intelligence is taking jobs that would otherwise have gone to young or entry-level workers. In a report last month, researchers at Stanford University found “substantial declines in employment for early-career workers” — ages 22-25 — in fields most exposed to AI. The unemployment rate for those ages 16 to 24 rose last month to 10.5%, the Labor Department reported Friday, the highest since April 2021.
Job seeker Mamoulides is sure that competition from AI is one of the reasons she’s having trouble finding work.
“I know at my previous company, they were really embracing AI and trying to integrate it as much as they could into people’s workflow,” she said. “They were getting lots of [Microsoft] ‘Copilot’ licenses for people to use. From that experience, I do think companies may be relying on AI more for entry-level roles.”
Some relief may be coming.
The weak August numbers make it all but certain that the Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate at its next meeting, Sept. 16-17. Under Chair Jerome Powell, the Fed has been reluctant to cut rates until it sees what effect Trump’s import taxes have on inflation. Lower borrowing costs could — eventually, anyway — encourage consumers and businesses to spend and invest.
Vanguard’s Hirt expects the Fed to reduce its benchmark rate — now a range of 4.25% to 4.5% — by a full percentage point over the next year and says it might cut rates at each of its next three meetings.
Trump has repeatedly pressured Powell to lower rates and has sought to fire one Fed governor, Lisa Cook, over allegations of mortgage fraud. Cook denies the allegations, which she contends are a pretext for the president to gain control over the central bank.
Trump blamed Powell again for slowing jobs numbers Friday in a social media post, saying that “Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell should have lowered rates long ago. As usual, he’s ‘Too Late!’”
The July 4 budget bill also “included a big wallop of front-loaded spending on defense and border security, as well as tax cuts that will quickly flow through to household and business after-tax incomes,” Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, wrote in a commentary.
But the damage that has already occurred may be difficult to repair.
James Knightley, an economist at ING, noted that the University of Michigan’s consumer surveys show that 62% of Americans expect unemployment to rise over the next year. Only 13% expect it to fall. Only four times in the last 50 years of surveys has the employment outlook been so bleak.
“People see and feel changes in the jobs market before they show up in the official data — they know if their company has a hiring freeze or the odd person here or there is being laid off,” Knightley wrote. “This suggests the real threat of outright falls in employment later this year.”
Wiseman, D’Innocenzio and Lewis write for the Associated Press. AP writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.
Drivers are being urged to check whether they need to apply for a permit in order to drive abroad, especially in Spain as it can be a legal requirement for motorists
It’s important to check the paperwork needed when hiring a car abroad(Image: 123ducu via Getty Images)
Hiring a holiday car can make your trip much easier and more accessible, especially if you are staying somewhere a little more remote. However it’s important to know the rules of the road in the country you’re in, and if you need permits or not.
Spain is a popular holiday spot for Brits due to its balmy weather and frequent flights that only take a few hours. But now people are being urged to check if they need permits before hiring a car according to the DVLA.
You may need an international driving permit (IDP) as well as other paperwork and passport checks for motorists heading abroad. The permit you may need depends on which country you’re visiting and how long you’re staying too. You also need to have a valid GB driving licence to get an IDP, and paper licences cannot be accepted.
IDP’s are a legal requirement in some countries(Image: monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images)
This document makes sure that you’re legally allowed to drive in countries that may not recognise or allow your UK driving licence. Make sure you’re covered for your next trip and avoid fines and legal issues by applying for an IDP before you travel.
If driving, you must always have your driving licence with you as well as your IDP, and if you are visiting Spain, you may be caught out.
While the DVLA states that in Spain “You do not need an IDP. If you’re hiring a car, you should check if the car hire company says you need an IDP.”
So while it’s not a requirement for the country, certain car hire companies may still require one for motorists. It costs £5.50 to buy and if you have a full UK driving licence – either a photocard or paper version – you can apply for an IDP at PayPoint stores.
There are three types of IDPs, each of these offer different levels of coverage for specific countries. It’s important that you choose the right one for your destination(s). The 1949 IDP is the most common, but if you’re planning to drive in countries like Italy or the USA, you may need the 1926 or 1968 versions.
IYou do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if you have a photocard driving licence issued in the UK.
You might need an IDP to drive in some EU countries and Norway if you have either: a paper driving licence, a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. But it’s always advised to check with the embassy of the country you will be driving in.
The airline is currently looking to hire 17,300 people, equivalent to a mid-size town or the seating capacity of 58 Airbus A350 aircraft, across 350 roles, which include pilots, IT professionals, engineers, and cabin crew
Emirates is looking for new flight attendants(Image: Marika Mikusova)
Emirates Airlines is hiring new flight attendants, but applicants must meet strict criteria.
The airline is currently looking to hire 17,300 people, equivalent to a mid-size town or the seating capacity of 58 Airbus A350 aircraft, across 350 roles. Emirates hasn’t said how many of those job openings are for flight attendants, but it is likely to be within the hundreds, if not thousands.
Flight attendant Marika Mikusova has offered some insight into the Emirates application process(Image: Marika Mikusova)
Emirates has said that new recruits are required for some roles, including cabin crew, pilots, engineers, commercial and sales teams, customer service, ground handling, catering, IT, HR, and finance. Separately, Dnata is looking to hire more than 4,000 cargo, catering, and ground handling specialists.
Some of the benefits included with Emirates jobs are profit share eligibility, comprehensive medical and life insurance cover, travel benefits including flight tickets and membership cards that provide discounts at hundreds of retail, hospitality, and lifestyle outlets.
Although the airline has not advertised wages as part of this recruitment drive, Aviation A2Z reports that the average annual salary of an Emirates flight attendant working in the United States at approximately $47,000 (£34,000) as of last year.
While the salary and benefits appeal, Emirates is particular when it comes to what it is looking for in new recruits. They must be:
Be fluent in both written and spoken English (additional languages are an advantage)
A natural team player with a personality that shines
At least 160 cm tall (5’2”)
Able to reach 212 cm high
Able to meet the UAE’s employment visa requirements
Have at least one year of hospitality/customer service experience (desirable)
Have a minimum of high school (grade 12) education
Have no visible tattoos while in Emirates cabin crew uniform
“Irrespective of nationality, Emirates look for a positive attitude, confidence, flexibility, maturity, a friendly disposition and a genuine passion to help others to provide quality service. As the job can be physically demanding, it is imperative you demonstrate resilience and a determination to continually perform well”, the job requirements add.
Marika Mikusova, a flight attendant with Emirates, shared her recollection of the application process. “For example, I would definitely advise against wearing unnatural hair or nail colour! I personally attended open days twice. The first time I didn’t even pass the first round of the interview. I assume it was because of what I was wearing,” she explained.
Marika also had some, perhaps slightly more traditional advice for those angling for a job with Emirates. “So I would advise women to put on blazer and pencil skirt and style their hair in a bun. I would highly recommend putting a lipstick and heels on!”
For men, Marika suggested that they arrive clean-shaven or with a moustache only, and dressing in a suit.
“Mind your body language! Put on a gentle smile and present yourself in a calm manner. Do not cross your arms during interview as you would look unapproachable or even angry,” she added.
Marika even recalled a time when she attended her Prague Emirates Open Day, where several Korean women hoping to become flight attendants had flown in from other continents just to attend the Emirates Open Day.
“In fact, the interview was conducted entirely in English and was not limited by the nationalities of the candidates, the number of participants, or how many times each candidate attended Open Days in the past. So you can try multiple interviews outside your country,” Marika concluded.
Those aspiring to join the Emirates Group can apply for the various roles and keep a lookout for open days and recruitment events worldwide at www.emiratesgroupcareers.com.
July 11 (UPI) — The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Minnesota’s hiring practices, the third legal or administrative action the Trump administration has taken against the Democratic-led state in just over two weeks.
The Justice Department informed Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison of the investigation into the state’s hiring practices in a letter dated Thursday.
“Our investigation is based on information that Minnesota may be engaged in certain employment practices that discriminate against employees, job applicants and training program participants based on race and sex in violation of Title VII,” Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.
“Specifically, we have reason to believe the Minnesota Department of Human Services is engaging in unlawful action through, among other things, the adoption and forthcoming implementation of its ‘hiring justification’ policy.”
Early this month, the Minnesota Department of Human Services announced a new hiring policy set to take effect Aug. 12. It directs hiring supervisors to “provide a hiring justification when seeking to hire a non-underrepresented candidate when hiring for a vacancy in a job category with underrepresentation.”
The purpose of the directive is to ensure the department meets its affirmative action responsibilities, comply with state laws and increase the diversity of its workforce.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has sought to roll back so-called progressive practices, including diversity, equity and inclusion policies. In an executive order issued on his second day in office titled Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, he specifically ordered the federal government to cease demanding that contractors adopt affirmative action policies, describing it as illegal discrimination.
The Justice Department on Thursday described the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ new policy as part of a broader effort by the state to engage in race- and sex-based employment practices.
“Minnesotans deserve to have their state government employees hired based on merit, not based on illegal DEI,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been a critic of Trump and ran against his ticket as the vice presidential candidate with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Since then, the two have clashed.
After a man assassinated a state lawmaker and wounded another in Minnesota in mid-June, Trump declined to call Walz.
“I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out — I’m not calling him. Why would I call? I could call him and say, ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. So, I could be nice and call him, but why waste my time?” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Late last month, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit challenging Minnesota laws that provide some undocumented immigrants with higher-education tuition benefits not offered to all U.S. citizens.
The next day, Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services opened a civil rights investigation into the Minnesota Department of Education over a transgender teenager competing on a girls’ softball team.
Former MasterChef star Gregg Wallace isn’t expected to return to the BBC show following his departure but it’s now been teased that he could sign up for a project on ITV
18:59, 10 Jul 2025Updated 19:04, 10 Jul 2025
It’s been teased that Gregg Wallace could sign up for a reality TV show with a rival channel to the BBC(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has “quietly” parted ways with his former agent, Dylan Hearn. He’s now represented by John Miles, who is known for taking on clients who find themselves in tricky situations.
Sources said that Bristol-based Miles, who also represents Graziano di Prima, Martin Bashir, Noel Edmonds and Nick Knowles – among others – is said to have looked after the MasterChef star’s interests “for some months”. One source said: “Gregg was quietly dumped by his former agent and has since been signed up by John, who knows what he’s doing when it comes to fallouts with the BBC, in particular.”
It’s been suggested that Gregg Wallace could take part in I’m A Celebrity(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
They added: “He’s looked after many people who’ve found themselves battling in pretty intense situations. Don’t be surprised if Gregg suddenly turns up on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here. He’s got a lot of beans to spill.”
A potential stint on I’m A Celebrity would see Gregg, 60, follow in the footsteps of restaurant critic Grace Dent, who competed on the show in 2023. Grace withdrew from the ITV reality TV show after just over a week in camp.
More recently, Grace was last year named as Gregg’s replacement on Celebrity MasterChef following his exit. She will appear alongside returning host John Torode, who had fronted the culinary show with Gregg since 2006.
It was announced last year that Gregg would step away from the BBC‘s MasterChef whilst its production company Banijay UK reviewed historical misconduct complaints, said to be from across a range of shows. As reported at the time, he said through a lawyer: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that Gregg had been fired from MasterChef after a year-long investigation into the allegations. He issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday in which he claimed that he has been exonerated of “all the serious allegations which made headlines last year” but apologised after saying that he was found “primarily guilty of inappropriate language”.
Gregg said that he has been cleared by the Silkin report of the “most serious and sensational accusations” made against him and accused the BBC of “peddling sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories”. He apologised for the inappropriate language which the report found him “primarily guilty” of between 2005 and 2018 though.
A stint in the jungle would see him follow in the footsteps of Grace Dent, who was a campmate a year before being named Gregg’s replacement on Celebrity MasterChef(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Fortnum & Mason)
He also said in the statement: “I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer. A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all. For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand. Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem.
“My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of Master Chef. Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over twenty years. That failure is now being quietly buried.”
A BBC spokesperson told the Mirror at the time: “Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace. We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.”
It’s understood that Banijay will be releasing the report and that the BBC did not fire Gregg as the corporation does not employ him. He was instead reportedly employed by Banijay.
Amid the news of his departure from MasterChef, it was reported that Gregg is facing fresh misconduct claims from 50 people. The presenter is said to have denied all allegations.
GRADUATES are facing the toughest jobs market in eight years but some industries are bucking the trend and paying big.
New data from the Indeed Hiring Lab reveals graduate job ads are down 12% compared to last year and even worse than during the pandemic.
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Research shows there are sectors hiring which offer some seriously high wages
In fact, grad roles are now at their lowest point since at least 2018, as employers hold onto staff and cut back on new hires.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Indeed’s mid-year labour market update shows there are sectors hiring and they’re paying some seriously high wages, with top jobs offering up to £200,000 a year.
Expert Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said: “The UK labour market started 2025 with serious headwinds but rather than crash, it’s seen a gradual softening.
“While hiring appetite is weak, job losses have remained modest. The big challenge now is for new entrants like graduates, who are finding it tough to get a foot in the door.
“But sectors like education and real estate are still hiring in big numbers and roles offering flexibility, like hybrid or remote jobs, are holding up too.”
Here, we reveal the fastest-growing job sectors in the UK right now and the top salaries workers could earn.
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Education & instruction – up 49%
The education sector has seen the biggest increase in job postings, with demand up by 49% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Top earners in this field can make up to £77,250.
This surge is largely due to a national shortage of teachers, particularly in subjects like science, maths and special education.
With government initiatives encouraging more people to enter teaching, there are more opportunities than ever, not just for qualified teachers but also for teaching assistants and support staff.
Entry-level roles such as teaching assistants, cover supervisors, and graduate trainee teachers are also in high demand,
Sam Thompson’s huge new job revealed – and there’s an Ant and Dec link
Social science – up 48%
Closely following education, social science roles have grown by 48%. The top 1% of salaries reach £82,500, with many positions available in areas like policy research, community development, psychology, and criminology.
Graduates with degrees in sociology, psychology, and public policy are finding more roles in local government, charities and think tanks.
Real estate – up 45%
The real estate sector has posted a 45% rise in job listings. It’s a lucrative industry too, with top earners bringing in £109,513.
The UK property market remains resilient, with growth in both commercial and residential lettings.
Many graduates can break into the industry through roles like lettings negotiators, property administrators, and junior estate agents, where commissions can quickly boost take-home pay.
Legal – up 27%
Legal roles have seen a 27% increase in demand, with the best-paid positions offering up to £96,348.
This growth is being driven by a backlog of court cases and rising demand for legal advice in areas such as employment, family law, and corporate compliance.
Law graduates, paralegals and legal support staff are in demand across both private firms and public sector bodies.
The legal sector has also seen growth in remote roles, making it more accessible for early-career professionals.
Mechanical engineering – up 18%
Mechanical engineering continues to be a growth area, with a hiring increase of 18%. Top salaries in this field can reach £84,775.
As the UK focuses more on infrastructure, robotics, and renewable energy projects, mechanical engineers are needed in sectors ranging from automotive to aerospace and manufacturing.
Those at the start of their careers might look at field service technician roles, control panel engineering, or graduate engineer positions, especially as the UK invests in EV infrastructure and smart grids.
Insurance – up 16%
Insurance roles have grown by 16%, with elite earners making around £106,125. The industry is modernising rapidly, with tech and data transforming how insurers assess risk and handle claims.
There’s strong demand for underwriters, analysts, and customer service professionals.
In particular, graduates with business, finance or maths degrees are in high demand in this sector, which offers clear career progression and high long-term earning potential.
And while that figure might be reserved for senior underwriters and actuaries, graduates can start out as claims handlers, underwriting assistants, or admin support staff, with many firms offering structured progression and paid qualifications.
Electrical engineering – up 16%
Also seeing a 16% growth in hiring, electrical engineering is a thriving sector thanks to the UK’s transition to smart technologies and renewable energy.
The best-paid roles can command salaries of £79,832. This field is vital to the roll-out of electric vehicle infrastructure, energy storage systems and smart homes.
Engineers with experience in circuit design, automation or grid systems are particularly sought after, making it a smart career move for STEM graduates.
Dental – up 14%
The dental profession has surged by 14%, and it tops the salary chart with the highest pay of any occupation listed: £200,726 for the top 1%.
Both NHS and private practices are struggling to recruit and retain dentists, dental nurses and hygienists due to a backlog of patients and a shortage of qualified staff.
This shortage has turned dentistry into one of the most lucrative and in-demand fields in the country right now.
There are also entry-level routes such as dental nurse apprenticeships, receptionist roles, and dental technician traineeships, especially in larger NHS or private clinics.
Physicians & surgeons – up 13%
Medical professionals are also in high demand, with physician and surgeon roles up 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
These roles offer some of the highest salaries, with top professionals earning up to £175,181.
This field remains highly competitive and requires years of training, but the financial and societal rewards are significant.
Installation & maintenance – up 13%
Installation and maintenance roles are booming, with postings up 13% and top salaries reaching £191,100.
This includes jobs in facilities management, HVAC systems, smart home installation, and more. As buildings become more complex and technology-driven, skilled tradespeople are crucial.
Production & manufacturing – up 12%
The production and manufacturing sector has grown by 12%, although it offers lower top salaries, maxing out at £56,965.
Still, it remains an essential part of the UK economy, especially with the rise of local manufacturing and automation.
There are growing opportunities in logistics, factory management and machine operation.
Cleaning & sanitation – up 10%
Although it may not be the highest paying sector, with top salaries around £31,607, cleaning and sanitation have seen a 10% rise in job postings.
Hygiene has become a permanent priority in the post-Covid world, driving consistent demand across hospitals, offices, schools and transportation.
These roles are often stable and provide entry-level access to the workforce.
Loading & stocking – up 7%
Loading and stocking jobs have increased by 7%, with top salaries reaching £35,604.
Warehouses and logistics centres are scaling up operations, especially with the continued growth in online shopping.
These roles are essential for ensuring supply chains run smoothly and are often available with minimal qualifications.
Construction – up 5%
Construction hiring is up 5%, and top earners can make around £54,508.
While this is a smaller increase than in other sectors, the construction industry remains key to the UK’s infrastructure goals, including new housing and public transport projects.
Tradespeople, site managers and qualified builders remain in steady demand.
Industrial engineering – Up 1%
Industrial engineering has only seen a 1% increase in job postings but still boasts high potential salaries, with the top 1% earning £152,152.
This field involves optimising systems and processes in industries like manufacturing, logistics and energy. It’s a niche but highly specialised career path that tends to reward experience and technical expertise significantly.
Where the jobs are drying up
Not every sector is faring as well. Graduate jobs in media, marketing, and nursing are way down, with job ads in those fields dropping as much as 66% since before Covid hit.
The fall in nursing roles is particularly stark, which is likely a result of tough working conditions and recruitment struggles within the NHS.
Likewise, industries with strong remote-working potential like media and marketing have seen some of the sharpest declines.
Across the UK, there were 818,000 job vacancies between September and November 2024, but fewer of those are entry-level.
The ratio of unemployed people to vacancies has more than doubled in the last two years, from 1 in 2022 to 2.2 per vacancy as of April 2025.
London and the South East have seen the biggest drops, with job ads down 29% and 32% from pre-pandemic levels.
Going to uni now costs an eye-watering £68,000, and the average grad in England leaves with £43,700 of debt.
Many students will be paying their loans back for up to 40 years under the new Plan 5 and Plan 2 schemes.
And while some degrees can lead to six-figure careers, others lead to average pay of just £19,000 – meaning graduates may struggle to get on the property ladder or start a family.
Recent research by Adzuna found that some of the highest-paying roles in 2025, including air traffic controllers, train drivers and project managers can pay over £77,000 a year without a degree.
Employment specialist Indeed gives the following advice for negotiating a better salary
Calculate your value: Determine how much your qualifications and experience are worth
Research the market: Look at similar roles to give an idea of salary expectations
Prepare your reasons: Be ready to justify every argument you give for having a better salary.
Rehearse your negotiation pitch: The more prepared you are the better.
Explain your work-related expenses: Part of your pitch could be that you are asking for more money to make up for expenses.
Be flexible: An employer might offer you a different salary package with more holiday or better working hours if they can’t directly raise the amount you’re paid
Don’t be afraid to walk away: You might have to think about walking away or pausing negotiations to consider your position.
Thank the employer for their time: This professional courtesy shows respect and maintains a positive working relationship
UK companies are holding back on hiring or are not replacing departing workers, sending job vacancies tumbling, official figures suggest.
The number of available jobs fell by 63,000 between March and May while the unemployment rate ticked higher.
“There continues to be a weakening in the labour market,” said Liz McKeown, director of econonic statistics at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), adding that there had been a noticeable drop in the number of people on payrolls.
In April, National Insurance Contributions paid by employers increased while a rise in the minimum wage came into force.
The estimated number of available jobs fell to 736,000 over the three months to May.
“Feedback from our vacancies survey suggests some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on,” said Ms McKeown.
The figures also showed that the unemployement rate rose from 4.5% to 4.6% – the highest since July 2021.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has reached an agreement with City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson to find the money to reverse the cuts to police hiring made last month by the council.
On Friday, Bass signed the 2025-26 budget approved by the council, which reworked much of her plan for closing a $1-billion shortfall. Among the council’s changes to the mayor’s spending plan was a reduction in the number of police officers hired in the coming fiscal year, which would drop from 480 to 240.
The following day, as part of her signing announcement, the mayor highlighted the separate deal with Harris-Dawson to ensure that “council leadership will identify funds for an additional 240 recruits within 90 days.” The budget year begins July 1.
The money for the additional officers would be allocated within the 90-day deadline, said Bass spokesperson Zach Seidl.
“No one got everything they wanted,” Harris-Dawson said in a statement. “There is still more work ahead, especially our commitment to work with the Mayor to identify the funds for an additional 240 recruits within 90 days.”
Restoring the 240 police recruits would require the council to free up an additional $13.3 million for the coming year. In 2026-27, the cost of those officers — who would be working their first full year — would grow to about $60 million, according to a city estimate.
Bass proposed a budget in April that called for laying off about 1,600 civilian city workers, one-fourth of them at the LAPD. The council voted last month to reduce the layoff number to around 700, in part by scaling back the mayor’s hiring plans at the LAPD and the Los Angeles Fire Department.
During their deliberations, council members said a slowdown in the hiring of police officers would protect the jobs of other workers at the LAPD, including civilian specialists who handle DNA rape kits, fingerprint analysis and other investigative tasks.
Bass, in her statement, thanked the council for “coming together on this deal as we work together to make Los Angeles safer for all.” She said the budget invests in emergency response, homeless services, street repairs, parks, libraries and other programs.
“This budget has been delivered under extremely difficult conditions — uncertainty from Washington, the explosion of liability payments, unexpected rising costs and lower than expected revenues,” she said.
During the budget deliberations, Bass voiced dismay about slowing down recruitment at the LAPD. In recent days, she had weighed whether to veto all or a portion of the budget, which could have led to a messy showdown with the council.
The council voted 12 to 3 to approve the reworked budget proposal last month. Because only 10 votes are needed to override a veto, Bass would have had to secure at least three additional votes in support of her position on police hiring.
Whether Harris-Dawson has the support of his colleagues to find the money — and then spend it on police hiring — is unclear. Unless the city’s labor unions make financial concessions, the council would likely need to either tap the city’s reserve fund or pull money from other spending obligations, such as legal payouts or existing city programs.
The budget provides funding for six classes with up to 40 recruits each at the Police Academy over the coming fiscal year. Bass had originally sought double that number, providing the department with 480 recruits.
Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who chairs the council’s budget committee, said she shares the mayor’s goal of restoring LAPD recruit classes — and looks forward to “working with her to make it happen.”
“The question has always been how to do it in a way that is fiscally responsible and sustainable,” Yaroslavsky said.
To increase police hiring and eliminate the remaining 700 layoffs, the council will need to turn to the city’s labor unions for additional savings, Yaroslavsky said.
The council’s budget provided enough funding to ensure the LAPD has 8,399 officers by June 30, 2026, the end of the next fiscal year. The $13.3 million sought by Bass would bring the number of officers to more than 8,600.
The LAPD had 8,746 officers in mid-May, down from about 10,000 in 2020, according to department figures.
