'Firmer ground' | UK hiring confidence more than doubles despite rising costs & uncertainty

UK employers are continuing to recruit despite political change, rising operating costs and geopolitical disruption, with hiring confidence remaining more than twice as high as it was a year ago.

The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey (MEOS) puts the UK’s Net Employment Outlook (NEO) at +23% for the final quarter of 2026, compared with +11% in Q4 2025.

Although this represents a decline from the “exceptional” +36% recorded during the previous quarter, which was driven in part by employers proceeding with delayed recruitment decisions, four in ten businesses (40%) still expect to increase staffing levels during Q4. By comparison, 17% are planning workforce reductions.

Lee Chant, Managing Director (UK & Ireland) at ManpowerGroup UK, said: “At first glance, the story looks like hiring confidence has fallen, but that's only true if you compare it to one of the strongest quarters we've ever seen.