Neil Carberry, REC Chief Executive, said:

“Pre-Budget nerves knocked temporary recruitment back just a little across the UK in November after a growing October, but the overall picture was still relatively benign by comparison to the last year. Recruiters in the North report firms were carrying out hiring freezes, with some decisions on hold. Anxiety about the Budget also explains why temp billings fell for the first time in three months in the North of England. With such a late Budget and the Christmas period just around the corner, the key now will be the decisions that employers make for their businesses this coming January.

“We can see signs of the market stabilising in recent months, but the North is lagging the broader UK improvement in pay rates for new jobs. To really get businesses firing, they need confidence. While the Budget was not the horror show of last year, there was little in it to fire the heart of firms. More recently, moves to change the Employment Rights Bill will have landed well, but there is much more to do to get the economy firing. If government’s priority is growth, their report card at the end of 2025 reads ‘Must try harder’.”