• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday February 17 2026

Job numbers down across South West – with Swindon performing best

Job numbers are still down across the South West, but experts say there have been signs of a turnaround in recent months.

Swindon is faring better than other places in the region, with Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire third, Somerset fourth, Wiltshire in a mid-table sixth, and Bristol seventh.

Languishing at the bottom are Plymouth, Torbay, and Bournemouth & Poole.

The latest employment data for January 2026 shows the number of employees on payroll in Swindon was 116,683 – down 0-1 per cent year on year.

In Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire there were 332,299 employees on payroll – down 0.2 per cent.

Somerset had a payroll total of 246,132 – down 0.3 per cent year-on-year. Wiltshire’s total was 231,030, down -0.5 per cent, and Bristol’s was 231,150 – also down 0.5 per cent.

Bournemouth & Poole suffered the greatest year-on-year dropped, with the number of employees on payroll down 1.2 per cent.

Paul Hebden, director at WageSight, which put together the figures, said: “Although employment in the region remains lower than a year ago, recent month-on-month figures suggest some stabilisation in recent months.

“Whether this marks a genuine turning point or a temporary pause in job losses will become clearer over the next few months.

“It remains too early to say whether recent changes mark the start of a sustained shift, or a temporary fluctuation.”