UK Recruitment Market Size and Value
The UK recruitment industry is one of the largest in Europe. According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the total UK recruitment industry turnover was approximately £42.9 billion in 2024/25, making it the second largest recruitment market globally behind the United States.
The industry employs an estimated 200,000 people across approximately 30,000 recruitment agencies operating in the UK. The sector contributes roughly £1 in every £35 to the UK economy, according to REC's annual industry status report.
Market Breakdown by Segment
| Segment | Estimated Market Share | Revenue (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary and contract staffing | 72% | £30.9 billion |
| Permanent placements | 28% | £12.0 billion |
Source: REC Industry Status Report 2024/25. Temporary staffing includes umbrella company and agency worker payroll.
Temporary staffing dominates industry revenue due to the volume of weekly payroll processed through agencies. However, permanent placements generate higher margins per transaction for individual recruiters and agencies.
Market Growth Trends
The REC's Report on Jobs (produced in partnership with KPMG) showed that permanent placement activity fluctuated throughout 2025, with a slowdown in the first half of the year followed by a gradual recovery. The UK labour market remains tight by historical standards, with the ONS reporting an unemployment rate of approximately 4.3% as of late 2025, above the post-pandemic low of 3.5% in 2022 but below the 10-year average of 4.7%.
Average Recruiter Salaries in the UK
Recruiter compensation in the UK typically combines a base salary with commission. The ratio varies by employer and seniority, but commission typically represents 20% to 50% of total earnings for agency recruiters.
Agency Recruiter Salaries by Seniority
| Role | Base Salary Range | Average Base | OTE (On-Target Earnings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee / Resourcer | £20,000 - £26,000 | £23,000 | £25,000 - £32,000 |
| Recruitment Consultant (1-2 years) | £24,000 - £32,000 | £28,000 | £35,000 - £50,000 |
| Senior Consultant (3-5 years) | £30,000 - £40,000 | £35,000 | £50,000 - £75,000 |
| Principal / Team Lead | £35,000 - £50,000 | £42,000 | £65,000 - £100,000 |
| Manager / Director | £45,000 - £70,000 | £55,000 | £80,000 - £150,000+ |
Sources: Glassdoor UK (2025), Reed Salary Guide 2025, Hays UK Salary Guide 2025. OTE figures assume hitting 100% of target.
In-House Recruiter Salaries
| Role | Salary Range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Talent Acquisition Coordinator | £25,000 - £32,000 | £28,000 |
| Talent Acquisition Specialist | £32,000 - £45,000 | £38,000 |
| Senior TA Partner | £45,000 - £60,000 | £52,000 |
| Head of Talent Acquisition | £60,000 - £90,000 | £72,000 |
| Talent Director / VP | £85,000 - £130,000 | £105,000 |
Sources: Glassdoor UK (2025), LinkedIn Salary Insights (2025). In-house roles rarely include commission but may include annual bonuses of 5-15% of base salary.
Regional Salary Variations
London-based recruiters earn approximately 15-25% more in base salary compared to the UK average. The gap narrows when commission is factored in, as high-performing consultants outside London can earn comparable OTE. According to the Hays UK Salary Guide 2025, the South East sits approximately 10% above the national average, while the North West, Midlands, and Scotland are broadly in line with national figures.
Placement Fees and Revenue Per Recruiter
Permanent Placement Fees
The standard permanent placement fee in the UK is calculated as a percentage of the placed candidate's first-year salary. Current market rates are as follows.
| Fee Type | Typical Range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Standard contingency (non-exclusive) | 15% - 20% | 17.5% |
| Retained search | 25% - 33% | 30% |
| Executive search (C-suite) | 30% - 40% | 33% |
Source: REC Industry Benchmarking Report 2024, APSCo Member Survey 2025.
On a typical placement of a candidate earning £40,000, a contingency fee of 17.5% generates £7,000 in revenue. For a £70,000 placement, the fee rises to £12,250.
Temporary Staffing Margins
Temporary staffing margins are significantly thinner than permanent fees. The typical agency margin on temporary workers is between 15% and 30% of the hourly charge rate, though this varies by sector. After accounting for employer National Insurance, pension contributions, and holiday pay, the net margin for agencies on temp workers is typically 8% to 15% of the charge rate.
Revenue Per Consultant
According to APSCo (the Association of Professional Staffing Companies), the average revenue per consultant for UK recruitment agencies in 2024 was approximately £130,000 to £180,000 for permanent-focused agencies, and £250,000 to £400,000+ for temporary staffing agencies (reflecting higher volume but lower margin work).
Top-performing permanent recruiters commonly bill £250,000 to £400,000 or more annually. These are typically senior consultants in specialist niches such as technology, finance, legal, or healthcare.
Hiring Statistics: Time and Cost
Average Time to Hire
CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) data from their Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2024 shows the following average time-to-hire figures for UK employers.
| Role Level | Average Time to Fill |
|---|---|
| Entry-level / Junior | 3 - 4 weeks |
| Mid-level / Professional | 4 - 6 weeks |
| Senior / Management | 6 - 10 weeks |
| Executive / Director | 10 - 16 weeks |
Source: CIPD Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2024. Time to fill measured from job requisition opening to accepted offer.
LinkedIn's Global Talent Trends data for the UK showed that the average time to fill was 42 days in 2025, broadly consistent with CIPD findings for mid-level roles.
Average Cost Per Hire
CIPD estimates the average cost per hire in the UK at approximately £3,000 to £5,000 for non-management roles, and £5,000 to £15,000 for senior and management positions. These figures include advertising costs, agency fees, internal recruiter time, background checks, and onboarding.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) international benchmarking data suggests that agency-assisted hires cost approximately 2 to 3 times more than direct hires, but fill roles 30% to 40% faster on average.
Staff Turnover and Vacancy Rates
According to the CIPD Labour Market Outlook (Autumn 2025), the median employee turnover rate for UK organisations was approximately 15% per year. This varies significantly by sector.
| Sector | Annual Turnover Rate |
|---|---|
| Hospitality and leisure | 30% - 40% |
| Retail | 25% - 35% |
| Technology | 15% - 20% |
| Financial services | 12% - 18% |
| Public sector | 10% - 15% |
| Manufacturing | 10% - 15% |
Sources: CIPD Labour Market Outlook Autumn 2025, ONS Labour Force Survey 2025.
High turnover sectors like hospitality generate consistent demand for temporary and permanent recruitment services, making them volume-heavy but lower-fee markets for recruitment agencies.
Agency vs In-House Recruitment
The balance between agency and in-house recruitment has shifted significantly over the past decade. LinkedIn's Future of Recruiting report (2024) found that 72% of UK companies with 200+ employees now have a dedicated in-house recruitment function, up from 58% in 2019.
Market Split
| Metric | Agency Recruitment | In-House Recruitment |
|---|---|---|
| Share of permanent hires (large employers) | 35% - 45% | 55% - 65% |
| Share of permanent hires (SMEs under 50 staff) | 55% - 70% | 30% - 45% |
| Average cost per hire | £6,000 - £12,000 | £2,000 - £4,000 |
| Average time to fill | 28 - 35 days | 35 - 50 days |
Sources: CIPD Resourcing and Talent Planning 2024, REC Industry Status Report 2024/25. SME figures based on companies without dedicated HR/TA teams.
SMEs remain heavily reliant on recruitment agencies due to the absence of internal HR teams. For businesses with fewer than 50 employees, outsourcing recruitment to an agency remains the most practical option, despite the higher per-hire cost.
Recruitment Technology Adoption
The Bullhorn Global Recruitment Insights and Data (GRID) report for 2025 surveyed over 1,400 recruitment professionals globally and found the following UK-relevant statistics.
- 91% of UK recruitment agencies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or CRM
- 67% use some form of automation for candidate sourcing or screening
- 54% report using data analytics to improve placement outcomes
- 38% use video interviewing platforms as standard practice
- The average UK recruitment agency spends £300 to £800 per recruiter per month on technology
Source: Bullhorn GRID Report 2025, with UK-specific data extracted from the EMEA sample.
Sector-Specific Recruitment Data
Technology Recruitment
Tech recruitment remains one of the highest-fee sectors. Average placement fees for software developers sit at 18-22% due to talent scarcity. The average UK software developer salary is approximately £55,000 (Glassdoor 2025), generating fees of £9,900 to £12,100 per placement.
Healthcare Recruitment
NHS and private healthcare recruitment is a high-volume sector. NHS England spent approximately £3 billion on agency and temporary staffing in 2023/24, according to NHS Digital workforce statistics. Efforts to reduce agency dependency have been a policy focus, with a target to reduce agency spend by 30% set by NHS England.
Financial Services
Financial services recruitment in the City of London commands premium fees of 20-25% on average. Senior compliance, risk, and front-office roles frequently attract retained search fees of 30%+. The average financial services salary in London was approximately £62,000 in 2025 (Robert Half Salary Guide).
Construction and Trades
Construction recruitment is dominated by temporary and contract staffing, accounting for approximately 80% of recruitment activity in the sector. The CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) estimates the UK construction industry needs to attract 225,000 additional workers by 2027 to meet demand.
Key Recruitment Industry Metrics at a Glance
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK recruitment industry turnover | £42.9 billion | REC 2024/25 |
| Number of recruitment agencies in the UK | Approximately 30,000 | REC 2024/25 |
| People employed in UK recruitment | Approximately 200,000 | REC 2024/25 |
| Average contingency placement fee | 17.5% of salary | REC / APSCo 2024 |
| Average recruiter base salary (consultant level) | £28,000 | Glassdoor / Hays 2025 |
| Average recruiter OTE (consultant level) | £35,000 - £50,000 | Glassdoor / Hays 2025 |
| Average time to hire (all levels) | 42 days | LinkedIn 2025 |
| Average cost per hire (non-management) | £3,000 - £5,000 | CIPD 2024 |
| UK unemployment rate | 4.3% | ONS late 2025 |
| Median UK employee turnover | 15% per year | CIPD 2025 |
| NHS agency staffing spend | £3 billion/year | NHS Digital 2023/24 |
| Agencies using ATS/CRM | 91% | Bullhorn GRID 2025 |
Methodology and Sources
This report compiles data from the following primary sources: Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) Industry Status Report 2024/25, REC/KPMG Report on Jobs, APSCo Member Survey 2025, CIPD Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2024, CIPD Labour Market Outlook Autumn 2025, ONS Labour Force Survey 2025, LinkedIn Global Talent Trends and Future of Recruiting reports, Glassdoor UK salary data 2025, Hays UK Salary Guide 2025, Reed Salary Guide 2025, Bullhorn GRID Report 2025, Robert Half Salary Guide 2025, and NHS Digital Workforce Statistics 2023/24.
Where exact 2026 data is not yet available, figures are based on the most recent published data (typically 2024 or 2025) and clearly labelled as such. All salary figures are gross annual amounts in GBP unless stated otherwise.
Cite This Research
If you reference these statistics, please link back to this page:
Pro Playbooks. "UK Recruitment Industry Statistics 2026: Salaries, Placements, and Market Size." https://proplaybooks.co.uk/blog/uk-recruitment-statistics-2026. Accessed [Month Year].