Vacancies in the motor sector have fallen to a three-year low, according to the latest official figures.
The just published IMI Automotive Vacancies Report shows that the motor trades vacancy rate has fallen month on month for the past four months.
The IMI’s analysis of the October 2024 data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows motor trades vacancies at 19,000, the lowest since October 2021.
And with 3.3 vacancies for every 100 employees, this is down from 3.5 in September.
However, motor trades are still ranked the joint 2nd highest vacancy rate of all industries with only hospitality with a higher rate.
Dealers will be keeping a close eye on recruitment and employment levels following the recent Budget which ratcheted up costs with higher .
“With many motor dealers already experiencing the challenge of increased overheads and squeezed margins, the extent of the changes to Employers NIC and living wage will provide additional unexpected cost pressures for auto retailers,” said Michelle Malone, a finance expert at Xeinadin
