The number of permanent placements and temporary billings both slowed at a weaker pace in May, according to the latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)/KPMG ‘Report on Jobs’.

The report shows permanent placements and temp billings both rose at the weakest rates in seven months, and growth of job vacancies hit a five-month low in May.

Recruiters signalled a modest improvement in the availability of staff to fill job vacancies during the month but the rates of growth of both permanent and temporary candidate availability eased since the previous month.  

REC chief executive Kevin Green says: “The latest data shows a worrying deceleration in the UK jobs market. Although the number of placements has continued to increase, the rate of expansion has hit a seven-month low. Private sector job creation has not hit the buffers but it is clearly slowing, which heightens concerns over whether public sector job losses can be absorbed.”