UK job vacancies: administrative and support services
UK job vacancies: administrative and support services stood at 50 thousands in Jul 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 Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job vacancies by industry | |||||||||||
| N Administrative and support services | 50 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 49 | |
| O Public administration and defence | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 |
Understanding UK job vacancies: administrative and support services
Unfilled employment positions within administrative and support service enterprises across the United Kingdom measure active recruitment for employment agencies, security services, cleaning operations, and office support. The series isolates outsourced business support activities, separating them from professional consultancies and public administration. A vacancy is tallied when an administrative service firm actively seeks external workers for immediate placement.
Reading this metric requires recognising that administrative support functions often act as a leading indicator of broader economic shifts, as businesses adjust outsourced staffing first. Preliminary estimates face routine revisions as large employment agencies and support groups finalise administrative returns. Analysts should prioritise twelve-month comparisons to avoid misinterpreting short-term contract fluctuations in agency staffing as permanent labour market trends.
Frequently asked questions
- What services fall under administrative and support activities?
- Employment agencies, facilities management, security, cleaning, and office administration services are covered.
- Why is this sector often considered a leading indicator?
- Businesses frequently adjust flexible administrative and agency staff before altering core permanent payrolls.
- How reliable are preliminary survey results for support services?
- Initial figures are regularly updated as large multi-site support enterprises submit their final survey data.