Employment news
The rules and figures that change for job seekers and employees in the UK, explained simply, with the date they come into force and their official source.
7 guides
Jobs and pay
9 November 2026
UK job market: permanent hiring dips again, but IT, engineering and the North keep recruiting
The UK job market took a step back in October 2026. Permanent placements fell for the first time in four months, according to the KPMG and REC Report on Jobs published on 9 November, and more candidates are chasing each role. Yet vacancies are falling at their slowest pace in over two years, and starting salaries are rising a little faster. Here are the figures, where the jobs are, and what they mean for your applications.
6 November 2026
Salaries in job adverts will become a legal requirement: what it means for you
On 5 November 2026, the Prime Minister announced that employers will be legally required to publish salaries in job adverts, under a new ‘say what you pay’ law. Here is what has been decided, what is still unknown, and how to deal with pay in your applications before the rule applies.
3 November 2026
Minimum wage 2027: the new UK rates and what they mean for your job search
The minimum wage 2027 rates are confirmed. On 28 October 2026 the Government accepted the Low Pay Commission's advice in full: from 1 April 2027 the National Living Wage rises by 3.9% to £13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over. Here are every rate, who is entitled to them, and what they change when you read a job advert or talk pay at interview.
3 November 2026
Christmas temp jobs 2026: who's hiring, what they pay and how to apply
Christmas temp jobs are open now across the UK: Tesco alone wants more than 28,000 temporary colleagues and Royal Mail almost 22,000. Here is who is hiring this year, the pay they have published, your rights on a short contract, and how to write a CV that gets you a shift before the rush.
5 November 2026
If your company goes into administration: your rights, your pay and your next job
When a company goes into administration, your job does not end on day one, but it can end fast. With Poundland's 12,000 staff waiting on a rescue deal this week, here is what happens to employees, the money the government pays when the employer cannot, the deadlines, and how to get your CV ready before you need it.
On this page
Employment news: what this section covers
This section follows what changes for job seekers and employees in the UK: the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, employment law, the labour market, and the way employers recruit. Each article starts from an official text, an official release or a dated announcement, and answers one question: what does this change for you, and from when?
We don't post job adverts. Each article links to a permanent guide instead, so you can move from the news to your next step:
- Applying for a job: the CV guide and the ATS CV checker.
- Interviews and pay: the interview guide.
- Leaving a job: the letter templates, starting with the resignation letter.
How we source and date our articles
Every article cites the Act, the regulations or the official release it relies on, and all its sources are listed at the end of the page. Figures come from the body that publishes them, with the period they cover.
- A start date for every change: "from 1 April", never "soon".
- A bill stays a bill: a text still going through Parliament is shown with its stage on the day we checked it.
- The nations kept apart: where Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland have their own rules, the article says so.
- The publication date at the top, and the update date as soon as the article is revised.
Where to follow employment news at the source
To check a story or follow a change, go to the source:
- GOV.UK: minimum wage rates, employment rights, and government announcements.
- legislation.gov.uk: Acts and regulations as they stand, with their latest amendments.
- The Office for National Statistics: the labour market overview, employment and unemployment rates, and pay growth.
- Acas: free, impartial advice on workplace rights, and guidance for employees and employers.
Before you act: check the date and your contract
An announced change does not always apply yet, and your contract can give you more than the legal minimum. Before you accept an offer, hand in your notice or negotiate pay, check three things: the date the change comes into force, the status of the text, and what your contract says.
For your own situation, Acas answers questions on workplace rights, and a trade union rep or an employment solicitor can advise on your case.
Questions