Data published today by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) shows that employers’ confidence, both in the UK economy and in their own businesses’ ability to hire and invest, has started to improve since the extension to the Brexit deadline.

The latest  shows that employers’ confidence in making hiring and investment decisions increased by 4 percentage points from the previous rolling quarter, returning to positive territory at net: +1. Confidence in the UK economy also improved, rising by 3 percentage points to net: -26.

Hiring intentions for temporary agency workers continued to rise rolling quarter-on-quarter, with the balance of forecast demand increasing from net: +2 to net: +4 in the short-term, and from net: +4 to net: +5 in the medium-term.

Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, said: “The strength of our jobs market is one of the biggest assets the UK has, as it keeps people in work and raises their pay. Ensuring we protect the flexibility and opportunity it offers should be at the heart of any new government’s agenda. Today’s survey shows that businesses believe in their own prospects and are ready to grow if the pall of economic uncertainty is removed".