PageGroup flags ‘tough but stable’ UK jobs market

Global recruiter PageGroup says the UK jobs market remains “tough but stable” as it continues to slash costs to offset difficult trading.

The firm saw UK gross profit drop 5.3 per cent in the three months to the end of June.

The figure was an improvement on the 11.4 per cent tumble seen in the previous three months.

Group-wide gross profits fell 0.2 per cent on a constant currency basis to £197.6 million in the quarter, but it said around half of the group was now seeing growth worldwide, with southern Europe returning to growth.

It continues to trim costs in the face of the tough jobs market, cutting another 80 fee earners in the second quarter, down 1.6 per cent year-on-year to 4994, with non-fee earners down 2.3 per cent.

The firm – which runs its UK headquarters from Surrey and operates offices from Glasgow to Southampton – said it remains on track for annual earnings of around £28 million.

The figure would mark an improvement on the £20.9 million reported in 2025.

Nicholas Kirk, chief executive, said: “While we have seen improvement and signs of a normalisation in trading in a number of our markets, there remains a high degree of uncertainty in the outlook for the rest of the year.”

He added: “We have a flexible cost base through our fee earner headcount, which adjusts naturally to market conditions. 

“Alongside this, we continue to control the cost base tightly and have undertaken various programmes since the launch of our new strategy to manage it in light of the tougher market conditions.

“This cost base control has continued in 2026.”

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.