It’s a great time to be in tech. Demand for skilled professionals has skyrocketed as more businesses begin their digital transformation journey.
Tech Nation recently reported over 2 million vacancies for tech roles in the UK between May 2021 and 2022 — more than any other UK labour market. This is supported by recent ONS employment data, which showed a significant increase in headcount for the UK’s tech and IT sectors throughout 2022, despite the economic uncertainty.
Related: Top 5 UK tech jobs 2024
With demand being so high, now’s an excellent time for you to take your tech career to the next level by potentially relocating to one of the best UK cities for tech jobs. Keep reading to find out which UK cities are the best for tech jobs, according to our regional tech recruitment experts.
Related: Tech vs human: what jobs are threatened by technology?
Best UK cities for tech jobs
1. London
Unsurprisingly, London outstrips all other UK cities for tech demand. It’s still the top destination in Europe for tech funding, despite the recent economic downturn. London tech firms attracted $19.8bn of venture capital last year, with gaming, EdTech, and Fintech leading the charge.
London employers posted over 600,000 tech vacancies between May 2021 and May 2022. This is around 50% higher than the entire Southeast region combined. London is also considered the second-best global destination for tech professionals to live and work regarding salary averages versus the overall cost of living.
Related: You could be earning more in a London tech job
Phil Boden, London-based Director of Permanent Placement Services at Robert Half says:“London is still the hotbed for tech talent and opportunities. Regardless of market conditions, it offers myriad industry verticals, from large scale FS firms to market disrupting tech start-ups. Technology talent is always in short supply and London is as diverse as you will find.”
2. Manchester
Manchester is also one of the best cities to work in tech — employers posted 80,000 open roles here between May 2021 and 2022. Named 'the cradle of innovation', Manchester is the UK's top regional tech city.
Related: 5 software developer CV essentials
Manchester has seen a boom in innovation following the BBC's choice to make Salford its home. It’s become a leading destination for networks, cyber security, broadcasting technologies, and cloud transformation.
Search tech jobs in Manchester
3. Birmingham
Birmingham was named the UK’s fastest-growing tech hub in 2021 and was valued at £15.3 bn last year. The city posted 40,911 tech vacancies on job sites from May 2021 to 2022, thanks to institutions like Silicon Canal and Innovation, plus its robust automotive and professional services sectors.
Birmingham is one of the best places to work in the UK regarding diversity. It’s one of the most diverse tech hubs in the UK — 26% of its digital tech workers are BAME compared to the 15% UK average.
Search tech jobs in Birmingham
4. Bristol
According to a joint report by Tech Nation and Adzuna, there were 36,006 tech vacancies posted in Bristol between May 2021 and 2022, making it the third largest outside of London. According to the 2022 CompTIA UK Tech Town Index, Bristol is the best city for tech jobs when factors like growth, housing prices, cost of living, and salary opportunities are concerned.
Bristol has a blossoming tech start-up scene, boasting £220m in venture capital funding in the first five months of 2022. Household names like Dyson, Boeing, and British Telecom also regularly hire for tech roles in Bristol.
“I'd say we have a buoyant developer market; infrastructure is thriving and there are a large number of systems projects being implemented across a number of local clients,” says Oliver Price, Bristol-based Market Director at Robert Half.
5. Cambridge
Much like its prestigious sister Oxford, Cambridge’s esteemed universities make it a magnet for multinational companies looking to hire the best graduate tech talent. For example, IBM, Huawei, Toshiba, Apple, and Oracle all have regional offices in Cambridge.
Related: Inside the head of IT job description: is it the role for you?
The ‘Cambridge Cluster’ tech sector is made up of almost 5,000 companies, with artificial intelligence and biotechnology as the key areas of specialisation within the city. Although it's a mecca for big tech names, Cambridge is also teeming with start-ups like Darktrace, Five AI, and more, all gaining momentum thanks to some of the UK’s brightest minds.
Our experts have revealed the best cities for IT jobs; now the rest is up to you. Search open roles in your chosen city or upload your CV today. Who knows where your tech career will take you!
