The number of vacancies in the UK fell by 9,000 in July–September 2025, to 717,000, marking the 39th consecutive quarterly decline and a drop in half of the 18 industry sectors. The largest declines were in human health and social work activities, down 10,000, followed by accommodation and food services, which fell 5,000. The unemployed-to-vacancy ratio, a measure of labor market tightness, rose to 2.4 in June–August 2025, up from 2.3 in the previous quarter and 1.7 a year ago. The increase reflects both the decline in vacancies and a rise in unemployment, suggesting the labor market is loosening slightly.