UK Job Cuts Accelerate as Iran War Casts Shadow on Outlook
Commuters near the Bank of England in the City of London, UK, on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergUK employers slashed jobs by the most since the start of the pandemic in April, suggesting demand for workers is weakening as the Iran war pushes up energy costs and saps business confidence.
Tax data showed the number of payrolled employees dropped by 100,000 following a 28,000 decline in March, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. It was far worse than the 10,000 fall expected by economists, with retail accounting for much of the decline.