Rotherham named Yorkshire’s toughest place to find work
New data reveals the toughest place to find a job in Yorkshire, and the rest of the country.
Rotherham has been revealed as the hardest place in Yorkshire and the Humber to find a job, according to new research.
For every 100 job adverts in the area, there are 308 unemployed people looking for work – the highest ratio anywhere in the region and the second highest in the entire UK.
The study, carried out by virtual office provider Virtual HQ, analysed data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to compare the number of job seekers with available vacancies across 15 local authorities.
Rotherham’s unemployment count stands at 4,600, with only 1,495 live job ads.
This leaves hundreds of job seekers competing for each role.
Andrew Manning, Managing Director of Virtual HQ, said the figures reflect how challenging the job market remains.
“This study offers a fascinating insight into the evolving UK job market, which continues to shift as AI reshapes the skills employers need,” he said.
“When people face a tough job market, sometimes the best option is to consider alternative routes, like freelancing or setting up your own business.”
At the other end of the scale, York came out on top as Yorkshire’s easiest place to find employment.
The city’s unemployment count sits at 2,300, compared to 6,173 job ads, with just 37 job seekers per 100 vacancies.
Sheffield and Wakefield both have around 72 people per 100 job ads, while Doncaster fares slightly better with 96.
Virtual HQ said the imbalance between job seekers and opportunities could encourage more people to explore self-employment.
| Local Authority | Unemployment count | Job ad count | Unemployed people per 100 job ads |
| Rotherham | 4,600 | 1,495 | 308 |
| Barnsley | 3,700 | 3,554 | 104 |
| Doncaster | 5,700 | 5,950 | 96 |
| Wakefield | 5,400 | 7,495 | 72 |
| Sheffield | 10,600 | 14,823 | 72 |
“There are around 1.3 million people who are unemployed and looking for work, while there are roughly 1.6 million live job adverts,” Manning added.
“But the balance between supply and demand varies sharply. Unemployment can be a good time to take stock and think about what you want to do next – whether that’s starting your own business or changing careers.”
Nationally, Gedling in Nottinghamshire ranked as the most competitive place in the UK for job seekers, with 365 unemployed people for every 100 job ads.
Rotherham came a close second, followed by North East Derbyshire, Broxtowe, and Broadland in East Anglia.
The study underlines the stark regional differences in the UK job market – and suggests that for many Yorkshire residents, going freelance might be the best route to get ahead.