UK job vacancies per 100 employee jobs: accommodation, food
UK job vacancies per 100 employee jobs: accommodation, food stood at 2.9 ratio in Jun 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Labour market table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from May 2001 to Jun 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market table
| Indicator | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | 09-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacancies per 100 employee jobs, by industry | |||||||||||
| I Accommodation and food services | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3 | 3.1 | 3 | 3.1 | 3.1 | |
| J Information and communication | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
Understanding UK job vacancies per 100 employee jobs: accommodation, food
Active recruitment positions per hundred established employee jobs within accommodation and food service enterprises across the United Kingdom measure relative staffing scarcity across hospitality and catering businesses. By scaling unfilled hotel, restaurant, pub, and café openings against current payroll headcounts, this ratio highlights the intensity of recruitment challenges in a high-turnover sector. The scope encompasses hotels, holiday camps, restaurants, bars, and contract caterers, while excluding unpaid volunteers and unincorporated household catering operations.
Reading this ratio necessitates factoring in intense seasonal swings driven by tourism peaks, university term schedules, and warm-weather outdoor dining demands that regularly alter baseline staffing. Initial monthly estimates are subject to substantial revisions because hospitality features a high concentration of independent operators and rapid staff turnover. Year-on-year comparisons are generally more reliable than consecutive month figures for identifying genuine labour market trends. Comparing this ratio with capital-intensive industries highlights the unique workforce pressures inherent in consumer-facing service businesses.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of businesses are included in accommodation and food?
- Hotels, holiday accommodation, pubs, restaurants, cafes, canteens, and catering contractors across the United Kingdom are captured.
- Why does this sector experience high vacancy volatility?
- High staff turnover, reliance on student labour, and tourism seasonality combine to create rapid fluctuations in recruitment demand.
- How does this ratio differ from raw vacancy counts?
- Dividing by established employee jobs shows the proportion of unfilled posts relative to active staff, accounting for business size differences.