THE number of vacancies in the UK has fallen, new figures reveal.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed jobs on offer between December and February fell by 51,000 compared to the previous three months.
It is the eighth time in a row the number of vacancies has fallen, with situations vacant standing at 1.1 million, according to the latest data.

Meanwhile, the rate of economic inactivity – people aged from 16 to 64 not in work and not seeking a job – dropped to 21.3% between November and January, with around nine million people not part of the workforce.
Speaking before Wednesday’s Budget, Tania Bowers, global public policy director at the Association of Professional Staffing companies (APSCo), said: “The decline noted in vacancy numbers isn’t a surprise given the current economic climate.
“However, the fact that the final dataset to be unveiled before tomorrow’s Budget shows that unfilled vacancies remain over one million shows the critical state of the labour market across the UK.
“When we also consider the changes in payrolled employment, we can see that the shortage of workers is only growing.
“While the number of vacancies are continuing to fall, estimates for payrolled employees are on an upward trajectory that started in February 2021 and aren’t showing signs of slowing.
“With widespread reports of difficulties recruiting the highly skilled professionals needed to support the economy over the course of the last two years, this uptick in the number of people on payrolls while vacancies remain significantly high is a concern.”
She said the industry hoped for solutions to develop skills in the longer term.