Leeds employment growth leads English cities with 19.4% rise in full-time roles, according to new payroll platform data

Full-time employment in Leeds grew by 19.4% year-on-year in February 2026, the fastest rate of any city in England, according to new data from HR and payroll platform Employment Hero. The Leeds employment growth figure narrowly beats Bristol (19.3%) and sits well above the national average, where full-time roles grew 13.4% compared to just 4.9% for part-time positions. The data is drawn from anonymised records of more than 100,000 employees on Employment Hero’s platform, so it reflects the companies using that software rather than the entire economy.

What the Numbers Suggest

The national picture shows a shift towards permanent, full-time hiring over part-time and casual work. Leeds employment growth leading that trend suggests the city’s SME base is hiring with confidence. Separate research from Employment Hero, based on a survey of 1,047 UK business owners conducted in January 2026, found that 81% of business owners in Yorkshire said they started their business to contribute to their local area, compared to a national average of 76%.

The data comes alongside the announcement of a new partnership between Employment Hero and Leeds Rhinos. The collaboration will include events for local employers at Headingley Stadium and connects to the Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s existing employment programmes, which support young people entering work and adults returning to it. Employment Hero serves more than 350,000 businesses globally.

“What our research tells us is that Yorkshire business owners aren’t just growing for growth’s sake. Businesses are backing their local area, and you see that in how they hire, how they invest in their people, and how they show up for their communities.”

— Maisie Goss, UK VP Marketing, Employment Hero

Why this matters for Leeds

The headline number is eye-catching: Leeds leading England for full-time employment growth at nearly 20% year-on-year. The data comes from one platform’s user base rather than ONS, so it should be read as indicative rather than definitive. But the direction is consistent with what Leeds Today is seeing across other stories, new hires at Motorpoint, STACK, and NG Bailey, office lettings bringing employers into the city centre, and confidence in the SME market. For a city heading into UKREiiF with an investment pitch to make, ‘fastest full-time hiring growth in England’ is a useful data point.