VACANCIES across Britain have fallen for the eighth month in a row as employers hold back on hiring amid fears of an imminent recession, official figures published today reveal.

The Office for National Statistics reported that there were 1.12 million available jobs in the three months to February — 51,000 fewer than the previous quarter — while the redundancy rate edged higher.

The fall in vacancies “reflects uncertainty across industries, as [bosses] continue to cite economic pressures as a factor in holding back on recruitment,” the independent body warned.