120,000 jobs gone, then 38,000 back: the digital sector's odd two years
What happened
On 1 October 2026 the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published new official statistics on employment in the UK's digital sector. The headline is straightforward. In 2025 there were about 1.81 million filled jobs in the digital sector. That is roughly 38,000 more than in 2024, an increase of 2.1%. The digital sector made up 5.2% of all filled jobs in the UK. That share was unchanged from the year before. The interesting part is the comparison. Between 2023 and 2024, digital sector jobs fell by about 120,000, a drop of 6.3%. So 2025's rise does not undo that fall. It recovers roughly a third of it. Across the whole UK economy, filled jobs rose by about 388,000 in the same period, an increase of 1.1%. The digital sector grew faster than average, but from a lower base after a bad year. DSIT published figures for both 2024 and 2025 on the same day, so the two years can be read together.
Why this matters
'The digital sector' sounds abstract. In practice it means the people who build and run the software, networks, broadcasting and publishing that the rest of the economy sits on. For anyone thinking about a career, retraining, or where to look for work, these numbers are more useful than headlines about hiring freezes or artificial intelligence replacing everyone. They are counted consistently, year after year, using the same definitions. They also tell a more honest story than either optimists or pessimists usually offer. The sector did shrink, sharply, and then it grew again. Both things are true. There is a regional point too. London accounted for 26.1% of all digital sector jobs and the largest single increase, around 23,000. If you live outside the capital, the digital jobs market you experience is not the one the national figure describes. That is worth saying plainly rather than cheerfully.
What the evidence actually says
Three sub-sectors drove most of the growth between 2024 and 2025. Film, TV, video, radio and music added about 23,000 jobs. Computer programming, consultancy and related activities added about 17,000. Publishing, excluding translation and interpretation, added about 11,000. It is worth noticing that the biggest single gain was in screen and audio production rather than in software. The popular image of the digital sector as rows of programmers is only part of the picture. A note on what these figures are. They are 'filled jobs', not people. Someone with two part-time jobs counts twice. They are based on official business and labour market data, and they cover a defined list of industries rather than everyone who uses a computer at work. They are also estimates, and estimates get revised. DSIT republishing the 2024 figures alongside the 2025 ones is a sign of that, not a problem with it. Finally, these are 2025 figures published in late 2026. There is a real lag. They tell you where the sector was, not where it is this month.
Practical advice
If you are thinking about digital work, start with the sub-sectors that are actually hiring rather than the ones that get the most coverage. Screen and audio production, programming and consultancy, and publishing all grew. Check where the jobs are before you commit to a course. A qualification aimed at a London-weighted market may look different from your local one. Use free government-backed support if you need it. The National Careers Service offers free careers advice in England, and Skills Bootcamps offer short, funded training in digital skills for adults. If you already work in the sector, these figures are a reasonable argument for keeping your skills broad. The 2023 to 2024 fall of 120,000 jobs shows how quickly a specialism can lose its market. And if you are advising a young person, show them the numbers rather than the vibe. A sector that lost 120,000 jobs and then gained 38,000 is neither a gold rush nor a dead end.
What to know
The UK digital sector had about 1.81 million filled jobs in 2025, up around 38,000 or 2.1% on 2024. That follows a fall of about 120,000 jobs, or 6.3%, between 2023 and 2024. The sector made up 5.2% of all UK filled jobs, unchanged. Across the whole economy, filled jobs rose by about 388,000, or 1.1%. The biggest gains were in film, TV, video, radio and music (+23,000), computer programming and consultancy (+17,000) and publishing (+11,000). London held 26.1% of digital jobs and gained about 23,000. These are estimates of filled jobs, published with a lag, and they get revised. Sources: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (GOV.UK), 'Economic Estimates: Employment in the Digital Sector, January 2025 to December 2025', 1 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-estimates-employment-in-the-digital-sector-january-2025-to-december-2025; Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (GOV.UK), 'Economic Estimates: Employment in the Digital Sector, January 2024 to December 2024', 1 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-estimates-employment-in-the-digital-sector-january-2024-to-december-2024; GOV.UK, 'Skills Bootcamps', https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-skills-bootcamp This article is for general information. It is not careers, financial or employment advice, and it does not replace advice from a qualified adviser.
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