Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 12, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
AI and tech skills boost UK financial sector vacancies by 12% in 2025, with software roles surpassing traditional finance jobs.
LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Demand for workers in AI, regulation, data reporting and other specialist skills drove vacancies in Britain's financial sector up 12% in 2025, recruiting firm Morgan McKinley said on Monday, as companies sought to keep up in a technology arms race.
The year-on-year increase happened despite a slowdown in the fourth quarter, as volatility in global markets and uncertainty about the government's November budget prompted caution in hiring managers, Morgan McKinley's London Employment Monitor, a quarterly survey of financial services vacancies, showed.
Software and computer services now account for over 16% of vacancies, above traditional roles such as investment management and banking which accounted for 15% of total vacancies each last year, Mark Astbury, director at Morgan McKinley, said.
Clerical and administrative positions fell 16%, and broking roles fell 20% over the year, as AI and automation of services reduced the demand for staff in these functions, the data showed.
The robust hiring should continue into the first quarter of this year, Astbury said, as unemployment remained relatively low at 5% and inflation stable at 3.2%.
(Reporting by Lawrence White, Editing by William Maclean)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to think and learn. It is used in various applications, including data analysis and automation in the financial sector.
Financial vacancies refer to open positions within the financial sector that companies are looking to fill. These can include roles in banking, investment management, and technology.
Data reporting involves the collection and presentation of data in a structured format, often used in finance to analyze performance and inform decision-making.
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