Pause tax to boost jobs, say recruiters
THE SLOWEST growth in job vacancies for two years was recorded in September by the KPMG/Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) monthly report on jobs, out today.
For permanent staff placements the report’s index has fallen to 51.2, down from 60.6 in April.
REC boss Kevin Green is calling on the chancellor to pause national insurance contributions to boost jobs. “We are urging the chancellor to introduce a National Insurance holiday for at least a year to encourage SMEs to take on young people,” he said.
The index is compiled from surveys of recruiters in which they are asked if they have placed higher or lower numbers of staff in permanent roles compared with the previous month. Any figure above 50 shows an increase in vacancies filled.
September’s small positive figure means numbers of placements filled have risen for 26 consecutive months, but that the rate is slowing because of “a lack of confidence over the economic outlook,” the report explains.