From London to Leeds: Regional Trends in UK Insurance Vacancies

The UK insurance market has recently shown a clear divide in the number of vacancies available between London and the regions as economic pressures and technology reshape hiring.

In this blog we breakdown which regions across the UK currently have the biggest share of insurance vacancies as well as exploring reasons why some regions have a greater proportion of these roles than others.

Which region has the most Insurance vacancies?

London remains the largest centre for insurance vacancies, accounting for 44.3% of these specialist positions.

This is helped by the capital continuing to be the home of major underwriting, broking and claims operations as well as benefiting from international connections and a concentration of head offices for some of the biggest Insurance firms operating within the UK.

What are the regional trends in Insurance vacancies?

Outside of London however, trends in Insurance positions available vary widely.

The South East, West Midlands, South West and East of England have all seen significant falls in these vacancies recently, reflecting automation of routine roles and weaker regional investment.

Looking to the North East and Northern Ireland, these are regions that have also experienced a sharp decline in advertised insurance roles.

By contrast, the North West and Scotland have seen growth in the number of Insurance vacancies advertised. This has been supported by targeted public investment and regional innovation hubs.

Is company activity impacting Insurance vacancies?

Insurance company activity is mirroring these trends. For example, Aviva’s £3.7bn acquisition of Direct Line Group is expected to reduce duplicate roles across regions and so will impact the number of vacancies available outside of the capital.

Another example is how RSA, now rebranded as Intact Insurance, has started centralising some functions into larger hubs, thereby reducing the amount of insurance positions within the regions.

Conclusion

The result of these trends is a UK insurance sector that’s become increasingly focused on London, with selective regional growth where investment, policy support and company strategy combine.

But looking into the rest of 2026, how can the southern regions rebound? Or is this trend of Insurance vacancies now centralised in London, with some Northen regional activity irreversible?

To find out more about trends in the Insurance industry, why not download our UK Insurance Labour Market Trends: Year in Review Report which will arm you with market-leading data into this dynamic market such as the most in-demand skills in the industry right now and insight into companies to watch based on their current hiring practices.