Financial services job market index – March 2026

Financial services job market index – March 2026

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Executive Summary

There is no silver bullet when it comes to measuring demand in the U.K. financial services job market.

Over the years we have looked at everything from indices from recruitment agencies, aggregated job board data as well as government/ONS data. All of them are useful indicators but fail to offer an accurate reflection of what’s happening across Financial Services as well as individual and significant sub-sectors.

The City Career LAB & Rialto job market index captures data directly from corporate careers sites as a way of measuring jobs activity – specifically demand. It’s not perfect, but is perhaps the most accurate indicator of hiring demand in the U.K. financial services jobs market.

Each month we collect and analyse data from a broad and diverse basket of handpicked employers that represent a particular sub-sector of Financial Services in the U.K. These results which include all permanent and fixed term contract positions across all functions of the chosen organisations will be published on our website and LinkedIn – to show and explain the direction of the hiring market(s) from month to month.

Our observations this month include:

• The index has taken its first backwards step of 2026 having enjoyed back to back rises in January and February. More worryingly is the fact it’s happen at a time of year when hiring demand is usually at it’s most robust.
• There were several fallers this month across the sub sectors – with Investment Management down significantly (-18%) following a drop-off in activity at Schroders and Columbia Threadneedle, and Fintech (-6%) also falling away thanks to a drop in demand at Revolut amongst others.
• The only risers this month were Wealth & Private Banking (10%) and Insurance (3%) with the likes of Charles Stanley, SJP, RBC Wealth, Aviva and Gallagher all showing strong hiring intent.
• In terms of Year-on-Year results – the index is 3% up on last March, which has narrowed from 12% last month.
• It will be interesting to see if post bonus resignations will make up for a lack of hiring demand in March, or whether geopolitical events will push hiring demand lower still.

As a reminder – the Job Market Index is intended to be the most accurate read on hiring demand in the UK financial services sector.

The indicators show:

Banking & Markets: Corporate & Investment Banking, Markets, Securities Services (excl. Consumer/retail) -3%
Investment management: Asset Management, Alternatives -18%
Insurance: General, Life, Reinsurance, Broking +3%
Wealth & Private Banking: +10%
Fintech: Banking, Lending, Payments, Insurtech, Crowdfunding -6%
Information Services: Data Providers, Ratings Agencies, Risk 0%