How many vacancies are there in the UK Manufacturing sector?

The UK Manufacturing sector had 50,000 unfilled job vacancies in March to May 2026, unchanged 0 on the previous quarter and up 1,000 (2%) on a year earlier. These are real, seasonally adjusted ONS VACS02 estimates (SIC 2007 section C).

What is the Gera Vacancy Index for Manufacturing?

The Gera Vacancy Index for Manufacturing is 95 (UK = 100), meaning the sector has a looser labour market than the UK economy. It is computed as the sector's ONS ratio of 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs divided by the UK figure of 2.2, times 100 — a transparent, reproducible calculation.

Is hiring getting harder or easier in Manufacturing?

In Manufacturing, the vacancy ratio moved from 2.1 vacancies per 100 jobs a year ago to 2.1 now. Vacancies went from 49,000 to 50,000 over the year (+2%). All figures are real ONS VACS02 estimates; none are modelled.

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Manufacturing — UK Job Vacancies

The UK Manufacturing sector had 50,000 unfilled job vacancies in March to May 2026 — 2.1 per 100 employee jobs, a Gera Vacancy Index of 95 (UK = 100), below the UK average. Real ONS VACS02 data.

How many job vacancies are there in the UK Manufacturing sector?

As of March to May 2026 (ONS VACS02), the UK Manufacturing sector had 50,000 unfilled job vacancies — up 2% on a year earlier — at 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs. That is a Gera Vacancy Index of 95 (UK = 100), below the UK average. Real ONS data, OGL v3.0; re-dated monthly.

Source:ONS Vacancies and jobs in the UK — Vacancies by industry (VACS02)·As of March to May 2026 · updated monthly · last refreshed 18 June 2026

Gera Vacancy Index

Manufacturing ranks #6 of 18 UK sectors by vacancy volume. 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs vs the UK's 2.2 — a looser labour market than the UK economy.

How this is calculated

Manufacturing vs the UK

Measure	Manufacturing	UK (all sectors)
Unfilled vacancies (March to May 2026)	50,000	707,000
Vacancies per 100 employee jobs	2.1	2.2
Gera Vacancy Index (UK = 100)	95	100
Change on previous quarter	unchanged	—
Change year-on-year	+2% (+1,000)	—

A year ago (March to May 2025) the Manufacturing ratio was 2.1 vacancies per 100 jobs, on 49,000 vacancies.

Vacancy Pulse — check any UK sector

Pick a sector to see its real ONS vacancy count, vacancy intensity, and the Gera Vacancy Index versus the whole UK economy.

UK sector

Unfilled vacancies

50,000

Per 100 employee jobs

2.1

Gera Vacancy Index

Manufacturing has 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs, versus 2.2 for the whole UK — a Gera Vacancy Index of 95 (UK = 100), so a looser, easier-to-hire market than the UK average. Vacancies are up 2% year-on-year.

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Manufacturing vacancies — FAQ

How many vacancies are there in the UK Manufacturing sector?: The UK Manufacturing sector had 50,000 unfilled job vacancies in March to May 2026, unchanged 0 on the previous quarter and up 1,000 (2%) on a year earlier. These are real, seasonally adjusted ONS VACS02 estimates (SIC 2007 section C).
What is the Gera Vacancy Index for Manufacturing?: The Gera Vacancy Index for Manufacturing is 95 (UK = 100), meaning the sector has a looser labour market than the UK economy. It is computed as the sector's ONS ratio of 2.1 vacancies per 100 employee jobs divided by the UK figure of 2.2, times 100 — a transparent, reproducible calculation.
Is hiring getting harder or easier in Manufacturing?: In Manufacturing, the vacancy ratio moved from 2.1 vacancies per 100 jobs a year ago to 2.1 now. Vacancies went from 49,000 to 50,000 over the year (+2%). All figures are real ONS VACS02 estimates; none are modelled.

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Related on GeraJobs

UK job vacancies — all sectors ranked — and how the Gera Vacancy Index is calculated.
Gera Pay Index — UK salary by region — how pay varies across the UK, from real ONS ASHE data.
Post a Manufacturing vacancy on GeraJobs — reach candidates in this sector now.

Source: ONS Vacancies and jobs in the UK — Vacancies by industry (VACS02) (SIC 2007 section C, series JP9I / JPA3). Figures are March to May 2026, seasonally adjusted, 3-month rolling, released 18 June 2026. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3). The Gera Vacancy Index for Manufacturing is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.