Agency Partners

Software Developer Hiring Trends in United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Aug 17, 2025

Bence Gedai / Founder

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

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 logo TieTalent Switzerland Information Technology & Services 2017 140
Bending Spoons logo Bending Spoons Italy Information Technology & Services 2013 107
Environment Agency logo Environment Agency null null null 83
Canonical logo Canonical United Kingdom Information Technology & Services 2004 67
GRAYCE logo GRAYCE United Kingdom Management Consulting 2012 45
Arm logo Arm United Kingdom Semiconductors 1990 41
Oliver Bernard logo Oliver Bernard United Kingdom Staffing & Recruiting 2010 35
e-Careers logo e-Careers null null null 31
targetjobs UK logo targetjobs UK null null null 31
Hunter Bond logo 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.

Chart about preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

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.

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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