UK employment 'turning a corner' says research

UK employers are taking tentative steps to start creating jobs again, according to a survey of over 2,000 firms.

Recruitment firm Manpower said its research showed that a net 2% of employers were looking to hire staff, which it said marked a rise in confidence following bleaker forecasts over the last year.

"Although it's too early to say that a full-blown recovery is upon us, it does feel like we're turning a corner when it comes to the jobs market,"said Manpower's UK Managing Director, Mark Cahill.

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"We've noticed much more flexibility among employers, particularly in the market for permanent hiring."

However, the national figure masked deep regional disparities.

The most optimistic region is the East Midlands, whereas the region showing the strongest improvement is the North West, the research showed.

Employer confidence appears be growing in London where a net 7% of employers said they were looking to increase headcount.

"Positive sentiment around the Olympic Games appears to be the key factor finally propelling employer confidence in London to a high positive in the UK league of optimistic hiring regions," Manpower said.

But this compared with the South East and East of England, which both dipped into negative territory for the first time in more than two years. The least optimistic employers were in the North East.

Analysts predict the UK's official employment statistics will show a further rise in unemployment when they are next released. Last month unemployment stood at 2.67m.