Software Developer Hiring Trends in United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Aug 17, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The software job market in the United Kingdom has recently showcased a total of 7,769 new software engineering roles posted over the last 12 weeks, reflecting a dynamic hiring environment.
CTOs and hiring managers should note that the current number of job openings stands at 5,000, with a competitive talent pool size of 30,000 Software Engineers, leading to a jobs-to-talent ratio of 6.
Top companies actively hiring include Canonical (67 positions), GRAYCE (45 positions), and Arm (41 positions), highlighting key players in the software engineering job market in the United Kingdom.
London remains the predominant city for Software Engineer job opportunities, accounting for an overwhelming 92% of the market, indicating a concentrated demand in the capital.
The median time to hire software engineers in the United Kingdom is 31 days, suggesting that a swift recruitment strategy is essential for attracting qualified talent amidst the competitive landscape.

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in United Kingdom in the last 3 months

The software job market in the United Kingdom has seen significant fluctuations over the past 12 weeks, with a total of 7,769 new software engineering jobs posted. While the peak of job openings reached 2,682 in week 21, the subsequent weeks revealed a downward trend, culminating in just 644 postings in week 32. Notably, the market has also experienced a considerable closure of positions, with a high of 1,373 jobs closed in week 24, illustrating a stark contrast to the new openings during that period. This dynamic hiring trend indicates that while there are substantial software engineer opportunities in the United Kingdom, recruitment strategies for CTOs and hiring managers must adapt swiftly to the competitive landscape, particularly as the closure rates may signal an agile response to market demands. Overall, these developments reflect broader trends in hiring Senior Software Developers across Europe's technology landscape, marking a pivotal moment for talent acquisition in the tech sector.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	140
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	107
Environment Agency	null	null	null	83
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	67
GRAYCE	United Kingdom	Management Consulting	2012	45
Arm	United Kingdom	Semiconductors	1990	41
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	35
e-Careers	null	null	null	31
targetjobs UK	null	null	null	31
Hunter Bond	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2014	30

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in United Kingdom

The software engineer job market in the United Kingdom exhibits a challenging hiring environment, particularly when compared to other European countries. Currently, the UK has 5,000 job openings against a talent pool of 30,000, yielding a jobs-to-talent ratio of 6. This stark contrast is evident when considering Germany, which has 8,000 openings and a talent pool of 50,000 (a ratio of 6.25), and Poland, with 6,000 openings and 40,000 available developers (a ratio of 6.67). These figures suggest that hiring managers in the UK may face heightened competition for qualified software engineers, necessitating tailored recruitment strategies to attract top talent. In contrast, markets in Germany and Poland may offer slightly more favorable conditions for recruitment.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in United Kingdom

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in United Kingdom

The seniority distribution of Software Engineering jobs in the United Kingdom reveals significant insights for hiring managers. Currently, 50% of roles are at the Mid-Senior level, while Entry level positions comprise 22%, and Associate roles represent 7%. This distribution highlights the current emphasis on experienced talent, indicating a growing need for strategic recruitment to attract and retain skilled Software Engineers in the competitive job market.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom's software job market, the predominant employment type for engineers is full-time positions, accounting for 91% of job opportunities. This is followed by contract roles, which represent 9% of the market, while part-time positions constitute only 2%. Understanding these employment type distributions is crucial for hiring managers and CTOs as they strategize recruitment plans in the competitive tech landscape.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for software roles in the United Kingdom reveals notable trends that can aid hiring managers in formulating effective recruitment strategies. A significant volume of candidates, totaling 2,575, are hired within a 30-day timeframe, indicating that swift recruitment is prevalent in the current software job market. However, as we extend the timeframe to 45 days, hiring volumes decrease to 478, pointing to a decline in candidate availability as time increases. For recruiting Senior Software Developers, the data suggests that expectations should align with the 25 to 35-day bracket, where the majority of hires occur. Overall, understanding these hiring trends is essential for CTOs and engineering managers aiming to secure top talent efficiently in the competitive landscape of the UK's tech sector.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

Insights for hiring C++ Engineers in Stockholm

The Software C++ job market in Sweden, particularly in Stockholm, has experienced notable fluctuations in job openings over the last 12 weeks, with a peak of 16 new positions posted during week 23, followed by an average of 3 jobs per week by week 32.

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Insights for hiring PHP Engineers in Poland

The Software PHP Engineer job market in Poland is exhibiting notable fluctuations, with a peak of 188 new positions in week 21, but also a low of just 10 postings in week 25, indicating volatile demand for Software PHP Developers.

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Insights for hiring Rust Engineers in Vilnius

The Software Rust Engineers job market in Lithuania, particularly in Vilnius, is currently experiencing a net decrease in available roles, with 12 new positions opened against 40 closures over the past 12 weeks. This trend underscores the challenges in retaining Software Rust talent and suggests an adjustment in recruitment strategies may be necessary for hiring managers.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Analysis of the location distribution for Software Engineer job openings in the United Kingdom reveals that London leads significantly, accounting for 92% of the relevant job market. In contrast, Manchester and Leeds contribute just 9% and 5%, respectively. This concentration in the capital city underscores the critical role London plays in the Software job market in the United Kingdom, as depicted in the accompanying chart.

Most sought after technologies in United Kingdom for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

The software job market in the United Kingdom continues to be shaped by a range of popular programming technologies. Notably, JavaScript and Java emerge as frontrunners, with usage frequencies of 8026 and 10261, respectively. Python also shows significant traction, with a frequency of 10261, reflecting its strong demand in various applications. Other noteworthy technologies include PHP, utilized in 5625 instances, and the robust .NET framework at 5096. An overview of these technologies and their prevalence is illustrated in the accompanying chart, providing critical insights for hiring managers and CTOs navigating the software job market.

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