How will end of furlough affect UK job market?

Today marks the first day since March 2020 that workers in the UK will not be supported by furlough, after the scheme came to an end on the 30th of September. During the course of the scheme over 11 million workers have had their wages paid or supplemented by the government, and almost a million were estimated to still be receiving support at the end of September.

This is set to add fuel to a job market already struggling, with data from the Institute for Employment Studies estimating that there are now over one million jobs available in the UK, yet many firms are struggling to fill vacant positions and now the availability of workers has hit a 24-year low. A new report has also outlined the crippling shortage of programmers and software development professionals, where 68,929 vacancies exist in a sector that has come to be more vital than ever for the survival of businesses.

Programmers and software developers have become increasingly important as lockdown restrictions and a changing consumer mindset has increased demand for digital solutions. Whether it be an app to order a drink at a pub or a need to offer online shopping, a digital offering is now essential. Demand for this skillset has rocketed recently, this is according to software development and team augmentation specialists DCSL GuideSmiths, who help firms keep up with project demands by finding the right talent to help deliver results quickly.