Vacancies hit seven-year low

The number of permanent jobs available is now at its lowest level since November 2001, according to research by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

The overall number of permanent vacancies decreased and there was a record drop in demand for temps as companies shelved expansion plans and sought to rein in spending.

"The slide in the UK economy continues to hit the jobs market hard, with yet another sharp drop in recruitment," said Alan Nolan, director at KPMG.

"UK employers are continuing to control payroll costs through redundancies and by refusing to take advantage of a growing, but increasingly unused, pool of skilled labour."