Data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) suggests that despite the constraints on permanent hiring in the UK, demand for highly skilled contractors remains buoyant. It would appear that employers are turning to temporary resources to maintain business activity during economic uncertainty.
In the Association’s latest Hiring Trends analysis – produced in conjunction with Bullhorn – APSCo found that the number of new contract jobs added at the end of 2024 increased 33 per cent year-on-year.
When compared to the number of new contract roles added before the economic disruption of Covid, the statistics are indicative of a buoyant market. The number of these roles reported in the final month of last year saw a 5 per cent uptick on December 2018, putting contract hiring above pre-pandemic levels.
“It has been a tough start to the year and there will be bumps in the road in the coming months with the National Insurance Contribution (NICs) increases and further employment legislation reforms on the cards,” comments Ann Swain, Global CEO at APSCo. “However, within the professional contract staffing market in particular, there is still demand for highly skilled individuals who have long been in short supply. This is a trend that we have seen during times of economic disruption and does suggest that there is an end in sight to the uncertainty that has dragged on for far too long. We anticipate a greater level of optimism once the NICs roll out has been implemented and businesses begin to once again plan for growth.”
