One-third fewer Christmas jobs on offer than last year, but nearly 14k positions still available across UK

Posted on Nov 18, 2020

Despite lockdown 2.0 and a wider hiring slowdown, there are currently over 13,600 temporary Christmas jobs unfilled in the UK, according to new research from job search engine Adzuna. 

Adzuna analysed over 650,000 jobs available in November to reveal the top Christmas jobs hiring now. There are currently 13,668 Christmas jobs on offer across the UK, despite lockdown 2.0, though seasonal openings are 31% lower than the 20,000+ vacancies available this time last year.

Topping the list of companies still looking for seasonal staff are parcel courier company Yodel (1,647 jobs), Royal Mail (1,524 jobs) and online tutoring platform Tutorful (1,032 jobs). Hermes (353 jobs) and Tesco (341 jobs) are also advertising for hundreds of open Christmas roles. In total, Royal Mail will be hiring 33,000 seasonal workers, while Tesco is bringing in 11,000 workers, though many of these roles are already filled.*

With much of 2020 Christmas shopping expected to be online creating the need for more delivery drivers and warehouse pickers, there are plenty of Logistics & Warehouse roles still on offer this year: with 5,476 roles available accounting for 40% of open positions (compared to just 20% of roles two years ago).

Retail, normally the stalwart sector for Christmas jobs, accounts for just 6% of open roles this year (767 jobs) compared to 17% two years ago. Similarly, Sales roles account for just 461 seasonal roles this Christmas (just 3%, down from 8% two years ago).

However, jobseekers looking for temporary work this winter shouldn’t be disheartened, Christmas-related roles are available for those willing to think outside-the-box. Covid-19 has created a need for more deep cleaning within retailers, with vacancies on offer for Shop Deep Cleaners paying up to £9.30 per hour. Similarly, with many workers leaving the city and working remotely, there is a need for Concierges at some of the biggest offices and luxury residential blocks, with London-based company Claibon Property Services paying up to £17.44 for concierges willing to work over the Christmas period.

Outdoor retail environments are another good option. Garden centres including Dobbies continue to hire for Santas and Festive Elves, while Christmas Tree Patches including at Queen Elizabeth Country Park are looking for Sales Assistants to help them sell stock in the run-up to the holidays. 

There also remains an acute need for care workers over the Christmas period with many seasonal jobs available in this area, including 528 seasonal Healthcare & Nursing roles and 470 seasonal Social Care positions (paying up to £10.25 an hour).

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, comments: “Jobseekers seeking festive work this Christmas need to think creatively to secure a role. There are fewer jobs on offer than usual, with Retail positions thin on the ground and more people competing for each opening. However, the pandemic has created some new seasonal opportunities. Delivery driver roles are plentiful, boosted by the Christmas online shopping boom. There is also strong demand for online tutors to help children catch up on the school work they may have missed earlier in the year. Christmas cover in health and social care also remains critical. And as we face Covid at Christmas, new seasonal positions are emerging for deep cleaning experts and christmas concierges to look after empty city buildings.”

Table 1: Top Christmas Employers Hiring Now

Table 2: Top 5 Sectors for Seasonal Jobs this Christmas

Table 3: Festive Roles and what they Pay