Online Searches For ‘Redundancy Rights’ Up 77% Since Autumn Budget

Today, new research from The Global Payroll Alliance (GPA) revealed that since the Autumn Budget in October 2024, online search interest in employee redundancy rights and pay has increased by 77% among internet users in the UK.

In April’s 2025 Autumn Budget, the Labour government increased both the National Living Wage (NLW) and Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs). This massively increased staffing costs for UK businesses and forced many to reduce their headcounts in order to remain profitable.

In fact, previous analysis from GPA found that the number of PAYE employees (those that are employed full time by businesses) has fallen by -335,000 since the Autumn Statement.

Searches Around Redundancy Rights Spike

Now, GPA’s new analysis of Google Search Interest Scores for search terms relating to redundancy and job hunting have also seen a huge spike since the Autumn Budget.

Between October 2024 and April 2025, UK search interest in the term ‘redundancy rights’ has grown by +76.8% as more and more people have had to look for information on where they stand in the face of an involuntary redundancy offer.

Search interest in the term ‘redundancy’ has increased by +13.2%, while ‘redundancy pay’ has seen an increase of +10.7%.

More People Are On The Job Hunt

Not only is it clear that people want to know more about where they stand, they are also actively looking for new job opportunities.

Since October 2024, online search interest in the term ‘job vacancy’ has increased by +5.8%, while ‘job near me’ is up +4.7%.

Melanie Pizzey, CEO and Founder of the Global Payroll Alliance, says:

“The impact of Labour’s decision to increase the living wage and employer NICs is already having a profound impact on UK businesses, especially small businesses that cannot easily absorb increased staffing costs.

“What’s really apparent here is that these increases and the subsequent redundancies came relatively out of the blue. There was little in the way of prior warning, and barely time to breathe between the announcement being made and the policies kicking in. As such, employers and employees alike have been left scrambling for information and clarity.

“While it’s difficult to place judgement on the government’s decision to introduce these increases, it’s clear to see that it was done with a heavy hand that has potentially made what would already have been a difficult time for businesses even harder.”

Apps and Startups To Help With Job Hunting

For those that have lost their jobs or been made redundant, there are a number of new apps and startups designed to help with the job hunt.

Need some inspiration? We have you covered, take a look…

Jumpstart

Jumpstart is a startup career accelerator, helping to connect young talent with fast-growing startups.

Perfect for grads or those with 1-3 years’ experience, the company is changing the way startups hire for junior roles.

Unlike other recruitment platforms that simply allow applicants to share their CVs, Jumpstart guides them through it, providing feedback, training guides and more to make sure that applicants nail their interviews and secure their dream jobs.

Loop CV

Loop CV helps people apply for new jobs at scale. Using AI, loop CV is able to find and apply for jobs on behalf of applicants, without them needing to do anything. Here’s how it works:

Users create a profile, upload a CV and set their desired job markers, including titles, location and more.

Then the AI applies for the jobs on their behalf as soon as they become available, allowing users to apply faster, keep track of all applications and secure the right job for them.

Adzuna

Adzuna is a search engine for job ads, making it easier than ever for people to find and apply for their dream roles.

Their search engine allows users to find the right role faster, as well as seeing the latest salary and hiring trends in their market.

Spanning over 19 countries across Europe, Asia and The Americas, Adzuna is changing the way that people find new jobs.

Welcome To The Jungle

Welcome to the Jungle helps users find their dream jobs by giving them insight into a company’s culture, expectations and even, members of the current team!

Almost like a Tinder but for jobs, Welcome to the Jungle makes it easier to understand what working for a company would really be like.

With their platform, users simply need to input their job preferences and then let their AI do the matching. With quick applications and notifications, it makes the job hunt more seamless than ever before.

Talentful

For those looking for jobs in big tech, Talentful works with some of the biggest tech companies in the world, helping them find top talent – and fast.

With teams across the US, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC and hires in 80+ countries, the platform expertly connects job hunters with the tech and startup roles that best suit them.