Chancellor should prioritise supporting business growth in Autumn Statement

A quarter (25%) of employers believe that new funds to support regional economic growth should be top of the list in today’s Autumn Statement.

Following closely behind, 18% of employers suggested that more incentives to help start-ups and SMEs employ new workers, according to a poll of 200 employers in the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s (REC) JobsOutlook survey for November 2016.

The REC’s JobsOutlook survey for the last quarter suggests that employer confidence has slightly stabilised - 27% of respondents felt that domestic economic conditions are improving, up two per cent from last month’s report, yet below the 48% reported in June.

Chief Executive of REC, Kevin Green, comments: “Business confidence is still way below levels seen before the referendum. Employers are calling for interventions to drive forward projects such as the Northern Powerhouse and to bolster the economy. Now is the time for a clear message from Government that UK businesses can expect support to ensure they can weather the continued uncertainty of the EU negotiations.