The summer lull has hit UK job creation much harder this year than last, according to the Job Creation Index compiled by Adecco and research firm Mandis.

The number of vacancies made available in July was only 36,839, compared with 92,463 in July 2004.

Richard MacMillan, managing director of Adecco UK and Ireland, attributes the decline in new jobs to a combination of the traditional summer slowdown and difficulty in finding candidates for the jobs that are available.

Worst hit was the public sector, where job creation declined by 98% compared with the same period last year. However, new jobs were evident in areas such as vehicles and transport, chemicals, and land and property.