11 Aug 2025
Job postings for temporary work in hospitality this summer are down 25% year-on-year, according to data from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
There are 22,369 fewer unique postings for jobs in hospitality this year, compared to the same period in 2024, said the REC.
This is despite demand for tourism in the UK rising. Spend on day visits by tourists in England rose by 6% in 2024 to £48.4 billion, following a 15% year-on-year increase in 2023, according to UKHospitality.
The trade body says that the fall in hiring follows significant changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs), most notably the lowering of the threshold announced in last year's Budget.
Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: 'This is the time when hospitality businesses would be frantically hiring staff for the busy summer months, when the sector expects to welcome families to their hotels, and serve millions of people with ice cream on the beach, fish and chips on the pier, and cold pints in the pub garden.
'Unless the government acts, we could well be seeing the death of the great British summer job. That's not good for the economy, for businesses, or for the people that need this flexible work during the summer.
'We need to see action at the Budget to reverse this damage. That starts with fixing NICs, lowering business rates and cutting VAT for hospitality businesses.'