AGP Executive Report

Work Visas Slump: Home Office data shows work visas granted fell 18% to 235,000 in the year to June 2026, with sponsored “worker” visas down 76% and health/care visas down 90%, raising fresh recruitment pressure for employers. AI Datacentres Clash: Labour rejects a Green Party call to pause new AI data centres, warning it would cost jobs and security, as energy and water concerns fuel the debate. Jobs Risk in Rail Freight: TSSA is pushing for a no-compulsory-redundancy guarantee as DB Cargo UK is put up for sale, with 2,200 roles at stake. Local Hiring & Skills: Forth Valley College launches a new construction/civil engineering transition programme to tackle Scotland skills shortages, while Amazon appoints a new site leader in Wakefield. Employment Rights: ACAS explains bank holiday pay rules and how bank holidays may or may not be included in annual leave. Tax Pressure: Analysis flags 2.5m workers by 2031 facing a 62p marginal tax “trap” as thresholds stay frozen. Retail Closures: Whitbread confirms closures of nearly 200 branded restaurants, signalling further job uncertainty. Workplace Safety: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue received an HSE improvement notice over vibration risk assessments, later closed.

Youth Jobs Crisis: New ONS figures show nearly 1 million 16–24-year-olds in the UK are NEET (981,000 in Apr–Jun), keeping pressure on ministers as the youth unemployment problem drags on. Employment Support Debate: A PIP claimant argues people struggle to find “meaningful” work, sparking fresh discussion about what “good” jobs should look like for disabled people and those with mental health needs. Public Sector Pay & Leave: Parents across Scotland stage a “Parent Strike” over paternity pay and flexible working rights, highlighting how redundancy and eligibility rules can cut dads out of time off. Offshoring & Strike Action: Oxford University Press staff vote to strike over plans to move nearly 50 roles to India, with Unite warning jobs are at risk. Skills & Education Funding: Scotland’s universities face a £200m funding gap and are increasingly reliant on international student fees, raising concerns for course provision and staffing. Workplace Compliance: Investigations into aged care providers recover £5.3m for underpaid direct care workers after non-compliance with workplace laws. Energy & Jobs: INEOS Inovyn agrees to acquire the UK’s remaining ethylene dichloride asset at Runcorn, aiming to protect jobs and supply for a critical industrial site. Tech & Hiring: A report warns many employers are cutting entry-level roles as AI investment rises, adding to the challenge for new starters.

Youth Employment & Skills: New ONS figures show the number of 16–24 year-olds who are NEET fell below one million to 981,000 (down from 1.011m), but ministers warn it’s not a quick fix and say more work-experience support is needed. Parental Rights: Thousands of parents staged the first ever “Parent Strike” across the UK, pushing for flexible working by default and six weeks of paternity leave at 90% pay. Public Sector & Devolution: In Northern Ireland, PM Andy Burnham urged Stormont to focus on “problem solving, not points scoring” as budget talks and cost-of-living pressures dominate. Care & Benefits: HMRC is sending letters to around one million people about pension tax relief they may be owed, but experts fear many will bin them as possible scams. Hiring & Pay Signals: A new survey highlights a sharp drop in entry-level and graduate vacancies, with AI adoption blamed for shrinking the “bottom rung” of hiring. Workplace Compliance: A Watford-based care home firm was fined £40k over illegal working allegations, while it denies routinely employing illegal workers. Safety at Work: Firefighters in Newcastle were pelted with bricks while tackling a blaze, damaging a fire engine and removing a frontline resource. Jobs Market Innovation: Artificial Intelligence Uni launched a new certification for “Forward Deployed Engineers,” aiming to standardise a fast-growing tech role.

Local Clean-Up Boost: Vale of Glamorgan Council is restarting a dedicated Street Scene team in Penarth, backed by a UK producers levy, with five new all-electric street cleaning wagons, weeding, and regular sign and street-furniture maintenance to keep the seafront looking fresh. Workforce & Skills: The UK’s “graduate guarantee” is under pressure as the RCN warns newly qualified nurses and midwives still struggle to land NHS jobs, citing restrictive entry requirements and workforce planning gaps. Jobs Policy Push: Prime Minister Andy Burnham begins a Wales listening tour as he sets out a drive for “good jobs in every community,” meeting workers and apprentices and promising joined-up planning with devolved leaders. Hiring & Bias Debate: A Kenyan-Canadian jobseeker says changing an African first name on his résumé helped him finally get hired, reigniting discussion about workplace bias and the pressure to “fit in.” Public Sector Transparency: B.C.’s privacy watchdog is investigating the removal of a public government directory, raising questions about transparency—an HR-relevant reminder of how access to staff contact info can affect trust. Transport Demand: UK airport passenger numbers hit a record in Q2, with low-cost airlines driving growth despite Middle East disruption. Labour Market Shock: LIV Golf told employees their jobs will end next week as Saudi funding ends and the league downsizes while seeking a new investor.

Work Experience Push: Prime Minister Andy Burnham backed a national drive for youth work experience, pointing to Sainsbury’s plan for 10,000 placements and urging more employers to step up as youth unemployment remains a key pressure point. HMRC Performance Plan: Reform UK says it would link HMRC staff pay to keeping phone waiting times under 30 minutes and offer a £30 tax credit to small businesses if calls run longer—aimed at cutting lost productivity. Local Funding Fight: London boroughs including Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster are set to challenge major council tax funding cuts via a legal process, with Wandsworth facing proposals for very large rises. Apprenticeship Cost Strain: Small manufacturers say higher minimum wage and operating costs are making apprenticeships harder to afford, highlighting a growing hiring squeeze at entry level. Jobs and Growth Signals: Wren is opening a new Bromborough showroom creating 16 jobs, while Popeyes confirms a York opening expected to create 70 roles. Safety and Compliance: A West Midlands roads policing vehicle funded by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau adds ANPR capability to target uninsured drivers, supporting volunteer specials.

Youth Jobs Pressure: New research for the Work Foundation/Lancaster University finds 36% of UK employers cut entry-level roles for 16–24s in the past year, despite widespread awareness of the NEET crisis. Workplace Wellbeing as Safety: A human sustainability/HR-focused piece argues psychological health should be treated as health and safety, not “wellbeing” add-ons. Public Sector Pay Tension: Northern Ireland nurses (RCN) warn strike action could be imminent after pay awards granted elsewhere, but not delivered locally due to budget failure. Infrastructure Disruption: Openreach reports malicious damage to broadband/phone networks in Bedminster and Chippenham, with cable cuts causing local outages. Pensions Cost Debate: IPPR warns state pension and ageing costs will drive major tax pressure for future generations, urging reform. Skills-to-Work Push: Sainsbury’s launches a Modern Work Experience Programme aiming to create ~10,000 work experience and skills opportunities for young people. Child Poverty Signals: Trussell research says almost a third of 16–25s in Scotland cut back on food to afford essentials, with food bank demand rising.

Graduate Hiring Slump: New data and commentary point to a worsening UK entry-level jobs market, with graduate vacancies falling sharply and employers shifting hiring plans as AI changes demand. AI vs Work: Bill Gates warns only a handful of professions may be “safe” from automation, while research flags workers hesitating over pay rises due to tax “fiscal drag.” Retail Jobs & Openings: Lidl is preparing to open a new Essex store and recruit 40 roles, as Bodycare relaunches with 15 new shops after administration and 1,500 job losses. HR Policy Watch: Business leaders are looking at alternatives to non-competes as rules may change, including deferred bonuses and gardening leave. Access to Work Under Scrutiny: The DWP says a major Access to Work update is coming in September after claims of “quiet cuts.” Regional Growth & Skills: Azets appoints a new tax director in Devon and Cornwall, while Wales’ OR3D CT gains aerospace NDT accreditation training to support specialist jobs. Workplace Safety & Pay: A worker alleges hours were slashed in a heatwave, and police warn social media is fuelling dangerous driving “baiting” incidents.

Graduate jobs squeeze: Adzuna says UK graduate-level vacancies hit a record low in July—8,383 roles, down from 15,397 a year earlier—blaming higher costs and faster automation/AI, leaving young entrants facing a tougher market than ever. Youth employment pressure: The CBI warns the “Neets” crisis is really a wider cost-of-doing-business problem and urges Chancellor John Healey to cut employers’ NICs to unlock hiring and training. Older workers recruitment: easyJet launches a new cabin-crew recruitment drive for over-50s, citing a growing over-50 workforce and a talent crunch. AI at work, mistakes too: Sainsbury’s pauses AI facial-recognition alerts after a shopper was wrongly removed at a self-checkout, with the firm saying the error was human, not the system. Housing funding shift: Andy Burnham plans to route nearly 40% of initial council housing funding to London, alongside a wider push for new social and affordable homes. Skills bottlenecks: NHS England expands specialty training posts for 2027, aiming to ease resident-doctor progression issues but calling for transparency on who benefits.

Graduate hiring squeeze: UK graduate job vacancies have fallen 46% year-on-year to the lowest level in a decade, with employers citing higher costs and a shift toward AI and automation. Apprenticeships and pathways: Morrisons is rolling out a two-year “Proper Jobs: Fresh Start” programme combining paid store work, a 12-month apprenticeship, and leadership training to help 18–24s move out of NEET status. Skills and local jobs: Barbour plans to create 40 machinist roles at its South Shields factory after “unprecedented” global demand, backed by an on-site training academy. Tourism investment: Herefordshire’s visitor economy body is asking businesses to back a tourism funding plan through 2032, citing growth to £830m and nearly 8,000 jobs. Business rates pressure: Travel and retail leaders want the business rates review for pubs and hotels to also protect high-street travel firms from unfair charges. Family visa rules: The UK confirms couples can combine incomes for the £29,000 minimum income requirement, and can also use cash savings as an alternative. Northern Ireland business strain: BTG data shows Northern Ireland is the only UK region with year-on-year falls in both critical and significant business distress, though pressure remains in sectors like sport/health clubs and media.

Chlor-alkali jobs and resilience: INEOS Inovyn has agreed to buy the UK’s only ethylene dichloride (EDC) production asset at Runcorn from administration, bringing assets and employees under one owner and aiming to secure supply for key UK industries. AI and hiring: New data says AI is creating roles rather than cutting them, with 54% of UK firms reporting net new positions and training spend rising. Productivity uptick: Economists say UK productivity is improving more steadily than official figures suggest, a potential turning point after years of weak growth. Graduate hiring squeeze: Graduate vacancies hit an all-time low in July, while overall vacancies fell and jobseekers per role rose. Driving test backlog blocks work: A report warns young people are being locked out of jobs by long driving-test waits, pushing calls for employer-led testing schemes. Transport and recruitment: Research links poor bus connectivity to lost job opportunities and harder hiring in the West Midlands. Social housing row: Reform UK says it will prioritise British-born workers under 35 for council housing and plans to build 50,000 affordable homes a year, drawing criticism over homelessness risk. North Sea job losses: Labour figures predict major North Sea oil and gas job declines by 2050. EV buyer confidence: EV groups urge used-car dealers to provide independent battery health checks to boost trust and adoption.

Workplace Pay & Tax: HMRC has warned households and employees about claiming work expenses, urging people to avoid “tax refund” firms that charge commission and to claim only through HMRC, not via ads. AI Skills Push: Lloyds Bank research says more than half of UK firms believe AI has created jobs, while 58% plan to invest in AI skills; cost, data quality and skills gaps are the biggest barriers. Benefits & HR Costs: Disney will cut spousal healthcare coverage for 200,000+ employees from 2027 if a spouse can get cover through their own employer, citing rising healthcare costs. Local Jobs & Training: Northern Ireland’s UFU backs new Stormont Agriculture Committee chair Diana Armstrong, stressing the need for scrutiny of DAERA decisions affecting farming livelihoods. Hiring & Growth: Greggs opened a new Ely store creating 12 jobs, while Whitbread’s overhaul is set to close multiple restaurants including The Highwayman Cookhouse and Pub in St Neots. Security & Fraud Risk: Police Scotland warned shoppers about gift-card tampering scams that can drain balances after cards are interfered with before purchase.

Work & Skills: A new report warns Brit youngsters can’t get jobs because driving test waits hit 21 weeks, urging regional test hubs and spare slots for colleges and small firms. Benefits & Compliance: The DWP’s new Eligibility Verification Measure will require banks to check accounts receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit and ESA against set indicators, with limits on what financial firms can share. Housing Market: A report says scrapping Stamp Duty could add 300,000+ extra property transactions a year and boost activity by 25%+, as ministers weigh property taxes ahead of the Autumn Budget. Defence Jobs: MoD data shows munitions manufacturing roles rose 51% in 2024/25, adding about 2,000 posts as the UK rebuilds supply capacity. Tech & Jobs: Apple is reportedly cutting around 200 roles across Vision Pro and Siri teams, with the Vision Pro gaming unit hit hardest. Employment Tribunal: An Afghan maths teacher who emailed a schoolgirl “perfect boyfriend” messages has kept his job after a tribunal found the conduct inappropriate but not sexual.

DWP Benefits Update: State pensioners and disabled claimants will see earlier payments this week due to the August bank holiday, with key benefits including Universal Credit, State Pension, PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance paid on Friday 28 August instead of Monday 31. Benefits Assessment Reform: The DWP is also changing PIP and Work Capability Assessment recordings, making audio recording the default for more transparency while still allowing opt-outs. HMRC R&D Tax Relief: HMRC’s crackdown on R&D tax relief abuse has reduced fraud/error, but new analysis warns the tighter regime may now be discouraging legitimate SMEs from investing in innovation. Energy Jobs & Skills: The UK has launched a £28m Ultra-LDES Challenge to develop long-duration clean energy storage (100+ hours), aiming to cut reliance on gas and support future clean-energy work. Local Business & Self-Employment: A 21-year-old Gateshead entrepreneur has opened a new salon bringing together independent beauty and wellness professionals under one roof. Work for Young People: A “Save the Summer Job” push backs relaxing rules for 16- and 17-year-olds’ weekend and shift work to help employers hire while protecting education. Employment Support for Barriers: A social enterprise biscuit maker supplying Avanti West Coast says it’s creating supportive jobs for people facing homelessness and other barriers.

Apprenticeship Crunch: Steelwork firm Tadweld warns degree apprenticeship places are shrinking even as demand surges, with its September 2026 Level 3 intake set to be the lowest in a decade. Youth Jobs Warning: A new forecast from The Coders Guild says the North East NEET rate could climb from 21% to about 23.5% by 2030, putting roughly 72,000 young people at risk of being out of education, work or training. Local Hiring: Greggs is recruiting across the North East, including Team Member and Shift Manager roles with pay up to £45,000. Public Sector Cuts: BBC Scotland faces severe job losses, with reports suggesting up to 60 roles could go at Pacific Quay as part of a wider savings drive. Rail Freight Security: Union TSSA is seeking a no compulsory redundancy guarantee as DB Cargo UK is set to be sold, with about 2,200 jobs at stake. Workforce Mobility Debate: A leadership piece argues talent retention vs talent mobility is the next KPI, stressing internal skills visibility and internal moves.

Recruitment & Hiring Integrity: A new report flags “time travel” on LinkedIn, where some users allegedly edit past job titles and descriptions to match today’s skills demand—raising questions for UK recruiters as vacancies hit multi-year lows and CIPD warns hiring is stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” cycle. Apprenticeships Under Pressure: North Yorkshire firm Tadweld says rising employment costs are forcing it to cut apprenticeship intakes to a 10-year low, even as interest in technical routes grows. Employment Law Basics: New employer guidance explains the Working Time Regulations, stressing the 48-hour weekly average limit, rest breaks, and common compliance mistakes. Winter Health Planning: NHS England and the devolved nations are opening flu jab booking earlier, with eligibility rules for over-65s, at-risk groups, carers and frontline health staff. Skills & Jobs Economy: UK inward investment projects fell 26% in 2025-26, but job creation from those projects stayed broadly steady—highlighting that fewer deals doesn’t automatically mean fewer jobs. Workplace & Public Services: Dementia UK returns to Lanarkshire with free Admiral Nurse advice clinics for carers. Tax & Cost of Living: HMRC confirms Making Tax Digital for Income Tax sign-ups begin from September for sole traders and landlords over £50,000. Energy Jobs Pipeline: Energy UK and HeatNIC urge the government to funnel £1bn into heat networks to unlock further private investment and “tens of thousands” of skilled jobs.

Consumer confidence: GfK says UK consumer sentiment jumped 3 points in August to -14, the best reading since Labour took power, though shoppers still face a tough jobs picture and uncertainty. Employment rights: A new report warns employers about the cost of promised zero-hours contract reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025, due in early 2027. NHS jobs: Mental health workers in London protest NHS cuts that could mean hundreds of redundancies, with staff warning services and carers will be hit. Workplace wellbeing: Experts warn that chasing perfection can fuel burnout, procrastination and fear-driven decision-making. Transport access: Tyne and Wear Metro and North East buses will lift weekday-only limits for disabled passengers, with 24/7 free travel planned from next year. Skills and hiring: Eco-energy roles are being pitched as a route into work, with the Government estimating 400,000 new jobs by 2030. Local labour market: Defence-backed figures show a 51% rise in UK weapons and ammunition manufacturing jobs year-on-year. Recruitment tech: HR AI firm Phenom plans to expand in India, creating 2,000+ jobs and operating across the UK too.