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The latest research from the Global Payroll Association (GPA) reveals that Manchester currently offers the best job availability of any major UK city for those seeking a fresh start, while London is one of the toughest markets to carve out a new career in, along with Edinburgh.

The GPA analyzed active job listings on multiple major job sites and compared these with estimated working populations aged 16 to 64 in 15 major UK cities to calculate the number of available jobs per 1,000 working-age residents.

The analysis shows that Manchester stands out with an estimated 20.23 jobs per 1,000 working-age residents, nearly double the figure in many other cities.

Following Manchester, cities such as Bristol and Bradford both show strong job markets with just over 11 jobs per 1,000 residents, while Newcastle and Nottingham also perform well with around 10 jobs per 1,000.

Despite London having the highest total number of available jobs, at nearly 28,000 listings, its job availability relative to population stands at just 4.54 per 1,000 working residents, highlighting the strength of regional job markets.

Other cities with notable job availability per 1,000 working-age residents include Liverpool (8.68), Leeds (7.95), Birmingham (7.29), Leicester (6.83), Brighton (6.67), Sheffield (6.04), Glasgow (5.60), Cardiff (4.99), and Edinburgh (4.07).

Commenting on the findings, Melanie Pizzey, CEO and Founder of the Global Payroll Association, said:

“This research highlights the vibrancy of regional employment markets across the UK.

While London remains a key economic center with the largest volume of jobs, Manchester and other cities are offering significantly more opportunities relative to their population size.

This is encouraging news for job seekers looking for new opportunities outside the capital and reflects the growing economic diversity and resilience of these cities.”

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