Small firms trim hiring as labour costs bite, ONS says

The Office for National Statistics has warned that a wave of small businesses are pulling the plug on recruitment as labour costs climb.

The cost of hiring, from basic wages to benefits, has pushed many tiny enterprises to tighten their belts, leaving fewer openings on the job boards.

With fewer new hires, these firms are looking for other ways to trim costs.

The ONS data suggests that the trend is not a one‑off glitch but a broader shift, a reminder that even the smallest players feel the weight of the labour market.