PHP 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 PHP job market in the United Kingdom has shown fluctuating trends over the last three months, marked by a peak of 157 new job postings in week 30, reflecting strong demand for Software PHP Engineers.
A total of 5,625 job postings have highlighted PHP as the most in-demand technology, followed by significant mentions of JavaScript and MySQL, indicating the essential skills required for successful candidates.
With 44% of roles classified as Mid-Senior, 24% as Entry level, and 5% as Associate, the seniority distribution underlines the demand for both experienced Software PHP Engineers and opportunities for newcomers.
Major cities for hiring include London, which dominates the market with 8,425 job openings, followed by Manchester with 831 and Leeds with 425, emphasizing the geographical concentration of Software PHP Developer opportunities in the UK.
The competitive hiring landscape reflects a job openings-to-talent pool ratio of 1.5, necessitating tailored recruitment strategies from CTOs and hiring managers to secure top PHP engineering talent effectively.

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

In the last 12 weeks, the Software PHP job market in the United Kingdom has shown fluctuating trends, with a peak of 157 new jobs posted in week 30, indicating robust demand. However, this surge contrasts sharply with the number of jobs closed, which reached a high of 143 in week 24 and subsequently saw fewer closures every week thereafter. In comparison to other roles in the United Kingdom, the volatility in open versus closed positions suggests that while recruitment strategies for CTOs in the technology sector remain aggressive, the overall hiring environment is increasingly competitive. This pattern underscores the future demand for Software PHP Engineers in the United Kingdom, highlighting both opportunities and challenges for Tech Leads and Engineering Managers looking to attract top talent.

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 PHP job market in the United Kingdom reflects a challenging landscape for recruitment. With a job openings-to-talent pool ratio of 1.5, the United Kingdom experiences significant competition for skilled Software PHP Engineers. In contrast, countries like Germany and France showcase ratios of 2.0 and 2.5, respectively, indicating a comparatively more favorable hiring environment. Furthermore, Eastern European nations like Poland, with a ratio of 3.0, present an even broader talent pool relative to job openings. Consequently, for hiring managers in the UK, particularly CTOs and Engineering Managers, implementing tailored recruitment strategies is essential to secure top talent in a competitive tech sector.

Seniority distribution of PHP Engineer job openings in United Kingdom

Seniority Distribution of PHP Engineering Jobs in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the seniority distribution for Software PHP Engineering positions reveals a robust market, with 44% of jobs classified as Mid-Senior level, 24% at Entry level, and 5% at Associate level. This trend highlights the demand for experienced candidates, while also demonstrating a significant number of opportunities for newcomers in the Software PHP job market. Hiring managers and recruiters should leverage this clarity to shape their recruitment strategies effectively.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom's software engineering landscape, the employment type distribution reveals a significant preference for full-time roles, which account for 91% of job offerings. Contract positions follow, making up 9% of the market, while part-time roles constitute only 2%. This distribution indicates a strong demand for stable, long-term Software PHP Engineer opportunities, emphasizing a trend that hiring managers and CTOs should consider when developing recruitment strategies in the UK tech sector.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software PHP Engineers in the United Kingdom exhibits a diverse distribution, with a significant portion of hires occurring within 30 days. Specifically, 2,575 candidates were hired in this timeframe, indicating a fast-paced recruitment environment. Notably, as the hiring stretch extends beyond 30 days, there is a gradual decline in counts, with only 504 hires made at the 50-day mark and just 21 at the 100-day mark. This suggests that hiring managers in the tech industry should optimize their recruitment strategies to fill positions swiftly, especially for roles requiring in-demand skills like those of Software PHP Engineers.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

The location distribution for Software PHP Engineer job openings in the United Kingdom reveals a significant concentration in key cities. London stands out with 8425 job openings, representing 87% of the overall data set, making it the undisputed hub for software development roles. Manchester follows with 8% of the listings at 831 positions, while Leeds accounts for 4% with 425 job opportunities. For a comprehensive visual representation of these figures, please refer to the attached chart.

Most sought after technologies in United Kingdom for PHP

Key technologies for PHP Engineers

In the current landscape of the Software PHP job market in the United Kingdom, PHP is notably the most prevalent technology, featuring in 5,625 instances across job postings. Accompanying PHP, MySQL is frequently sought after with 1,649 references, highlighting the essential nature of database integration in PHP development. JavaScript, boasting 2,983 mentions, reflects its critical role in front-end development, enhancing user experience in PHP applications. Additionally, Laravel and Symfony, with 1,168 and 1,001 occurrences respectively, are favored frameworks that facilitate efficient PHP application development. For a more comprehensive breakdown of technology usage in Software PHP jobs, please refer to the accompanying chart.

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