British employers held off from hiring permanent staff in February, adding to signs of growing nerves ahead of Brexit in the country's otherwise strong labour market, a survey of Recruitment and Employment Confederation and accountancy firm KPMG showed.

The permanent jobs index of the survey edged up to 50.0, the dividing line between rising or falling staff levels. But February's reading was the second-weakest since the shortly after the Brexit referendum in June 2016 following January's slump to 49.7.

"Overall, the labour market has been incredibly resilient over the last couple of years as employers have opted to hire more permanent and temporary staff rather than invest in long term productivity gains," James Stewart, KPMG vice chair, said.

"However in 2019 Brexit uncertainty is having an opposite and chilling effect on the jobs market, with firms reassessing their level of risk," Stewart said.