UK Recruitment Index 2016

Key findings

• 79% of recruitment firms reported an increasing net fee income – the second highest since 2013. However, the proportion of businesses reporting static income has also increased from a year ago, suggesting the pace of growth is slowing down.
• ONS reports a 14% increase in the number of recruitment businesses between 2014 and 2015, highlighting the perception that strong demand for talent is attracting new businesses into the market.
• The main issue impacting the growth of the UK recruitment businesses has remained access to talent with 61% of respondents citing increasing headcount as their main challenge.
• Demand for talent was very strong in London where 72% of recruitment businesses in London rated demand for talent as strong or very strong. Other UK regions with relatively strong demand included the South East, West Midlands and the North West.