The wider UK labour market is best described as 'low hire, low fire'. Recruitment is weaker, redundancies have risen only slightly, and vacancies have dropped below pre-pandemic levels, according to the Low Pay Commission's 2025 report. For anyone hiring a pensions administrator, that means fewer active applicants moving between roles, so a sharp, well-targeted search matters more than ever.
There are bright spots. In the three months to October 2025, the largest volume increase in vacancies was in the professional, scientific and technical activities sector, which rose by 5,000, the ONS reported in its November 2025 vacancies bulletin. Pensions administration sits close to this professional services demand, where accuracy, compliance and specialist knowledge are prized. The monthly KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs is a useful pulse check on how quickly conditions shift.
The takeaway is simple. Demand is uneven and people are cautious about moving, so employers who define the role clearly and respond fast tend to win the best people.
A pensions administrator manages the day-to-day running of pension schemes: processing contributions and retirements, handling member queries, keeping records accurate, and staying inside a shifting regulatory framework. It is a role where a small error carries real consequences, so employers rightly want proven scheme knowledge and attention to detail. That specialism narrows the pool.
Two dynamics make sourcing harder. First, entry-level hiring has weakened across skilled professions: in engineering, for example, entry-level hiring has fallen to -19% against -10% for senior roles, a nine-percentage-point gap, according to GOV.UK's snapshot of entry-level hiring. Similar caution around junior hires shows up across professional services, which thins the pipeline of trainees who would normally grow into fully qualified administrators.
Second, in comparable professional fields the vast majority of new hires come from the resident labour force, GOV.UK's review of professionals in IT and engineering found. Pensions administration follows the same pattern: you are competing for UK-based, scheme-experienced people rather than recruiting internationally. That raises the value of a wide domestic search and a strong offer.
Start with a precise brief. Spell out the scheme types (defined benefit, defined contribution or both), the software you use, and the level of regulatory knowledge you need on day one. A clear brief filters out mismatches early and speeds up every step that follows.
Then move quickly. In a low-hire market the strongest people are often passive and get snapped up fast, and vacancies are already below pre-pandemic levels per the Low Pay Commission. A slow process loses good people. Build a shortlist, book interviews without delay, and keep applicants informed at every stage.
Finally, treat every stage as part of your employer brand. Quick, respectful communication is what convinces a cautious professional that your scheme is the right place to build their career.
An AI recruitment agent makes specialist hiring like this fast and precise. Reed.ai searches a database of 15 million candidates, ranks a shortlist against your brief in under 30 seconds, contacts matched people in under a minute, and books an interview in under three minutes, so a role that used to take weeks to fill can move ahead in days. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Tell us what your scheme needs and we will start building your shortlist today.
