The number of summer job vacancies in UK hotel and hospitality sectors has plunged this year, with a sharp 25% decline in postings as rising costs take their toll.
The downturn is hitting students and young people hard, just as domestic tourism demand surges.
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Temporary hospitality hiring collapses
Data from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) shows that unique hospitality job postings in June 2025 fell to 66,045, down from 88,414 in June 2024—equating to 22,369 fewer roles and a year‑on‑year drop of 25 %.
Tourism‑related roles also dipped by 14 %, with 15,650 postings in June 2025 compared to 18,118 the previous year—2,468 fewer positions.
Despite a 10 % increase in domestic day visits in England in April and a 6 % rise in tourism spend in 2024 to £48.4 billion, summer hiring has failed to keep pace.
Drivers of the decline in hotel summer jobs
The decline is largely attributed to rising employer costs, notably changes to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) introduced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s 2024 budget. The NICs threshold was lowered and the rate increased, adding approximately £3.4 billion in annual cost to hospitality businesses.
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By GlobalDataUKHospitality reports 84,000 roles lost since these policy changes took effect.
Leaders warn that many establishments—pubs, hotels and restaurants—have scaled back staffing plans, with some facing reduced hours or closures.
Impact on young workers and broader labour market
Summer jobs in hotels and hospitality have long served as entry-level routes into the labour market for students and first-time workers. The plunge in vacancies threatens those opportunities.
Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, described the drop as “not just a staffing gap, it is a red flag for the wider economy”.
With unemployment rising to 4.7 % in May 2025—the highest since mid‑2021—and evidence of weakening wage growth, hospitality has accounted for 45 % of recent job losses across sectors.
Government response and industry appeals
Industry voices are calling on the government to reverse the damage by revising NICs thresholds, cutting business rates and reducing VAT for hospitality firms.
Allen Simpson of UKHospitality warned of the possible “death of the great British summer job” unless action is taken in the upcoming Budget.
Firms argue that without fiscal relief, flexible work opportunities for young people and seasonal staffing capacity for hotels and venues will be further eroded.
