A new YouGov survey of HR and recruitment leaders found that rising pay expectations, lengthy hiring times and growing identity fraud risks are also among the key hiring challenges large UK employers are facing in 2026.
Finding suitably qualified candidates is expected to be the most common recruitment challenge facing UK organisations this year, according to new research conducted by YouGov on behalf of HireRight, a leading provider of global background screening services and workforce solutions.
The survey of UK HR and recruitment decision-makers working at organisations with more than 500 employees found that nearly two in five (38%) respondents believe sourcing qualified individuals will be one of their most significant hiring challenges this year.
Beyond skills shortages, employers are also grappling with candidates’ rising expectations around pay and benefits, cited by 30% of respondents, while 26% anticipate difficulties managing high volumes of applicants this year.
The research also examined hiring challenges experienced during 2025, revealing a recruitment environment already under intense pressure. Operational strain was particularly evident, with 30% of organisations reporting roles left unfilled for three to six months, 25% experiencing a protracted time-to-hire and a further 25% dealing with reductions in recruitment budgets – making it increasingly difficult to compete for talent.
Differences between candidate expectations and employer policies on remote working also often complicated the hiring process. More than a quarter (26%) of respondents reported that candidates withdrew from the hiring process if remote working was not offered, highlighting how workforce expectations around flexibility continue to shape hiring outcomes.
Growing concerns around identity fraud
In addition to the numerous hiring challenges many organisations experienced last year, the increasingly competitive and complex recruitment landscape is also being reflected in a rise in identity fraud risks during hiring.
Almost a quarter (24%) of UK organisations reported discovering identity fraud among their candidates or employees during 2025 – most often found while conducting pre-employment background screening or post-hire rescreening or monitoring checks – and around one in five (19%) admitted they were unsure whether identity fraud had occurred, which could suggest potential gaps in their detection and verification processes.
“The research highlights just how demanding the recruitment environment has become for UK employers,” said Rob Harwood Reid, VP of Go-To-Market UK and Europe at HireRight. “Organisations are facing multiple challenges including skills shortages, evolving candidate expectations and tighter hiring budgets.”
“At the same time,” Harwood Reid continued, “the increased sophistication of identity fraud, a rise in AI-generated falsified documents and the cost of a bad hire underscore the need for robust background screening processes, underpinned by high quality data sources, to help mitigate against these potential threats to a company’s financial wellbeing and reputation.”
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About the YouGov Research
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. This release is based on the findings from 204 UK respondents from a broader global survey of 1,061 HR and recruitment decision makers across the UK, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Australia, Singapore, the Philippines and Brazil. Fieldwork was carried out online and undertaken between 18 February–6 March 2026.
About HireRight
HireRight is a leading global provider of technology-driven workforce risk management and compliance solutions. We provide comprehensive background screening, verification, identification, monitoring and drug and health screening services for customers around the world to help mitigate their employment risk. We offer our services via a global platform that tightly integrates into our customers’ human capital management systems, enabling highly effective and efficient workflows for workforce hiring, onboarding, and monitoring. For more information, visit www.HireRight.com.