Birmingham in demand: Fed-up Londoners eye-up Brum as city to relocate to as job searches soar

Career and resume experts Jobseeker have investigated where people in the United Kingdom are relocating for work. 

A major surprise from the data is the allure of London is wearing off for those who are already living and working in the capital.

Jobseeker found that over half (57%) of London-based job seekers are looking for jobs outside of the capital and could be heading to your city. 

Data indicates that London-based job seekers are looking to escape the capital in pursuit of a new career in 2025. Where are they going? 

• Of Londoners searching for jobs in major UK cities,57% (or 6 in 10) are looking for jobs outside of the famous capital.

• The locations London-based job seekers are most likely escaping to are Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Nottingham according to overall search data.

• Londoners looking for jobs in Birmingham and Bristol have had the biggest surge in interest, with searches for ‘jobs in’ these cities increasing by 85% and 60% respectively over the past year alone. 

Jobseeker’s study analyses social trend data to depict the movement of talent between the United Kingdom’s most populous cities. Using the template ‘jobs in [name of UK city]’, Jobseeker measured the flow of residents’ search trends to find where Brits are relocating domestically for work. 

While London remains the most popular UK city for relocation (it’s the most widely selected destination in five different locations), people already living and working in the capital appear to want tol eave. 

Of Londoners searching for jobs in major UK cities, 6 in 10 (57%) are looking for a job role outside of the capital. The places London-based job seekers are searching most frequently are further up north and in Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Nottingham.

However, Birmingham and Bristol have experienced the biggest recent surge in interest.

Searches for ‘jobs in’ these cities have increased by 85% and 60% respectively among London-based job seekers — more than any other UK location reviewed.

Londoners looking to leave the capital could be down to the cost of living

Factors such as the high cost of living and the rise of hybrid working may be key indicators for people looking to move from the capital. In fact, the price comparison website Uswitch indicates that rent in Londonis at least 50% more on average than any other UK city. A recent YouGov survey published in the BBC asked Londoners to describe the capital in one word — 60% labelled it “expensive”. 

Talking about potential factors that inspire people to relocate for work, David Overmars a career and resume expert at Jobseeker comments: “Moving away in pursuit of a career is a significant moment in a job seeker’s life and the need to do so can be down to various factors.

“It could be to chase a dream job, gain a sense of independence, itch a sense of adventure or simply — perhaps most significantly, today — create an environment where the cost of living feels more manageable and to obtain a stronger work-life balance.

“Job seekers also often move away from their hometown to a location where their skillset is more highly valued. Despite the concept of asynchronous or remote working being more commonplace in people’s professional lives, job seekers are still moving to find their dream careers.

“Location remains an essential factor, both in embracing a specific sector such as tech or healthcare and establishing a healthy work-life balance.”