Human Times

UK Edition

9th November 2026

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THE HOT STORY

Hiring activity declines for first time in four months

Hiring in the UK has declined for the first time in four months. A survey by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) found that both permanent and temporary roles saw reductions in October, particularly in retail and hospitality. The index of permanent hiring dropped to 46.6 in October, down from 50.9 in September, on a gauge where a figure above 50 indicates growth. The index of temporary hiring fell to 48.9 from 50.9. Maxine Bligh, interim chief executive at REC, said: "Businesses can absorb only so many additional employment costs before hiring slows and job creation suffers." Elsewhere, the ITEM Club has forecast that unemployment could rise to 5.1% by mid-2027, up from 4.7% in the three months to August.

The Times

The Daily Telegraph

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The Hidden Value in Existing Benefits Schemes

What do employee benefit choices tell us about today's workforce?

Every benefit selection tells a story. New analysis of more than 442,000 benefit selections across 8,386 UK organisations reveals how employees engage with workplace benefits and where employers may be overlooking opportunities.

Nine in ten selections for two of the most popular salary sacrifice schemes came through relaunched schemes, a reminder that existing benefits still hold untapped value.

Even the most valuable benefits go unnoticed if they're hard to find, understand or access. Everyday discounts and salary sacrifice schemes show where that value is felt most.

The Employee Benefits Impact Report explores the trends behind these choices and what they mean for benefits engagement.

Download the report

ECONOMY

AI and defence investment lifts UK outlook

KPMG has upgraded its UK economic growth forecast to 1.5% for 2026, up from 1.2% last year, slightly ahead of the eurozone's projected 1% growth. The firm said investment in AI, defence and infrastructure would support the economy as households become more cautious amid rising prices and concerns about job security. KPMG expects inflation to average 3.2% this year before easing to 3% in 2027, but warned that further energy price shocks could undermine the recovery. The Bank of England expects inflation to peak at nearly 5% next year. Meanwhile, BDO's output index, measuring services and manufacturing activity, climbed to 100.46 in October, its highest level since July 2022, while business optimism reached a two-year high. However, BDO's employment index remained in negative territory at 93.12, indicating continued weakness in hiring intentions, headcount and labour demand, despite a slight improvement during the month.

The Times

WORKPLACE

Retailers demand action against shopworker abuse

Retail leaders are urging ministers to introduce tougher protections for shopworkers as research reveals 54% face abuse or violence weekly, up from 33% two years ago. The Retail Trust's Let's Respect Retail campaign, backed by Sainsbury's, Primark and other major businesses, calls for urgent action before Christmas. Nearly half of workers have considered leaving the industry because of abuse. Campaigners want the government to implement legislation creating a specific offence of assaulting retail workers in England and Wales.

Mirror.co.uk

STRATEGY

EasyJet plans job cuts

EasyJet plans to cut around 50 jobs at its Luton headquarters as part of a consultation process linked to its £5.7bn takeover by Apollo Global Management, although a source said the cuts are not directly related to the takeover. The British Airline Pilots Association said employees "require greater clarity regarding future workforce plans, pensions, operational strategy." Apollo has promised no job cuts for a year post-deal.

The Times

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

TUC urges greater investment in youth employment

The Trades Union Congress has urged ministers to increase investment in employment support, education and training to tackle Britain's youth jobs crisis. General secretary Paul Nowak warned against cutting benefits to fund support for almost 1m young people outside education, employment or training. His comments precede the Milburn review into youth employment. The government has pledged £2.5bn to create almost 500,000 employment and training opportunities, alongside plans for 200,000 jobs. Major employers, including Amazon, Marks & Spencer and Shell, have backed a campaign addressing youth worklessness.

The Guardian

LEGAL

Ministers target forced labour in supply chains

The government plans to introduce legislation mandating due diligence for large businesses to ensure their supply chains are free from forced labour and human rights abuses. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said that firms with a global turnover exceeding £350m must comply, including overseas companies with significant UK sales. If forced labour is detected, products could be removed from sale. Reynolds acknowledged the current framework is "fragmented" and outdated. Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee, emphasised the need for a robust regulator with the "resources to enforce the rules."

The Times

CYBERSECURITY

Firms use AI security tools to fight AI-enhanced hackers

A worldwide wave of cyber threats is straining IT departments, prompting some companies to turn to and increase investment in AI-powered security tools to help manage a workload which has seen staff working through the night. "It's a never-ending game of cat and mouse, with very high stakes," said Marnie Wilking, chief security officer at travel platform Booking.com, where hundreds of engineers are now building AI-powered defence systems. "We shut down one route, and before we've even finished rolling out the fix, the bad guys have moved on to the next," she said. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in software or computer systems have tripled to nearly 37,000 from ⁠a year earlier, according to the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, an international registry of disclosed security flaws.

Reuters

TECHNOLOGY

Apple cuts staff AI budgets

Apple has reduced employee budgets for AI usage as part of a broader effort to manage costs, even as the company seeks ‌to expand the use of the technology across its operations. The move is indicative of a broader trend among ⁠technology companies that are now scrutinising AI-related expenses after initially encouraging widespread adoption. Apple last month cut the daily AI spending allowance for some ⁠engineers to $200 from $300, and the firm is now weighing further reductions for some engineering teams, potentially lowering daily limits to $100. Employees who require greater access to AI tools would be able to seek exemptions from ‌senior ⁠executives, according to people with knowledge of the change.

Bloomberg

Reuters

TAX

FSB hits out at 'unworkable' tax plan

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has written to the Treasury, warning that planned changes to self-assessment tax payments are "completely unworkable" and could hinder growth. Millions of self-employed workers face two years of tax bills in 2029, and the the FSB said the transition, which is expected to generate a £17bn cash boost for the Treasury, could force hundreds of thousands of business owners to borrow to manage cash-flow pressures, undermining investment and growth. It also warned that regular payments failed to account for fluctuating self-employed incomes. The number of self-employed people and sole traders fell by 157,000 (3.7%) in the year to January 2026.

The Daily Telegraph

INTERNATIONAL

Lockheed Martin to pay $29.5m to settle claims it discriminated against white workers

Lockheed Martin has agreed to pay $29.5m to settle claims from President Donald Trump's administration regarding alleged discrimination against white workers in its diversity and equity bonus program. The settlement includes $22m to the U.S. government for failing to meet anti-discrimination requirements and $7.5m to over 1,000 affected employees. Lockheed Martin denied the allegations but said it “agreed to resolve this matter with the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to avoid the distraction and expense of prolonged litigation.” Tim Booher, a former vice president at Lockheed Martin, filed complaints that precipitated the investigation and will receive $4.4m under whistleblower provisions. EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas said: “Title VII protects every worker from employment discrimination on the basis of race - and that protection does not yield when discriminatory decisions are framed as diversity initiatives.”

U.S. News

Bangladesh garment protests continue

Garment workers in Bangladesh have continued their protests, leading to the suspension of operations in over 100 factories. The unrest, which began on Saturday, was fueled by demands for a wage increase. Workers are calling for the minimum monthly wage to be more than doubled to 30,000 taka ($241.55) from 12,500 taka currently. "The prices of everything have gone up, but wages have not. It is becoming harder and harder to make ends meet," said Shilpi Khatun, a garment worker who did not join the protest on Thursday. The protests have raised concerns about potential delays in export shipments: Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garment exporter. The wage board has proposed a revised pay structure to be implemented in December, but the exact increase remains undecided. Authorities have urged workers to return to their jobs.

U.S. News

Stellantis extends Fiat 500 production stoppage

Stellantis has extended to the whole of this week the current production stoppage at its Fiat ‌500 plant at Turin in northern Italy, marking the fourth consecutive week ⁠of no production at the Mirafiori facility. A spokesperson for the Franco-Italian automaker said this week's shutdown is linked to a shortage of electronic components, but union officials have identified weak demand as the continuing reason ⁠for the hiatus.

Reuters

OTHER

School starters should master coats, laces and loos

A review led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn will urge parents to ensure children can use the toilet independently, tie their shoelaces and put on a coat before starting reception. The review, which will also recommend that children arrive with basic English and maths skills, comes amid reports that one in four reception starters is not toilet-trained. Mr Milburn argues that gaps must be addressed before age five because early readiness can boost long-term educational and employment prospects, saying: "A child's chances can be shaped before they ever walk into a classroom." He added that he wanted more children to "walk into school ready to learn and walk out of it ready for work."

Daily Mail

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