Oxford has been identified as the weakest local authority for employment performance across the entire south east region, according to newly released workforce data.

The city recorded the lowest ranking among all 63 local authorities in the area when assessed against employment change metrics.

Payroll figures released for February 2026 indicated that Oxford’s total workforce stood at 73,982 employees.

This represented a decline of 1.6 percent compared with the same period in the previous year.

Monthly data revealed that local businesses reduced their combined payroll by 43 positions during the most recent reporting period.

The contraction contributed to a broader year-on-year decline in employment across the city.

Over the twelve-month period, total payroll headcount in Oxford decreased by 1,233 positions, translating to a 1.6 percent reduction.

The sustained nature of this decline placed Oxford at the bottom of the regional employment performance table.

The statistical analysis was conducted using official Office for National Statistics payroll information, processed by the employment monitoring service WageSight.

Regional comparisons showed that while certain parts of the south east experienced employment growth during the same timeframe, Oxford continued to face downward pressure on its workforce numbers.

The divergence between Oxford and better-performing neighbouring authorities widened during the period under review.

Across the United Kingdom more broadly, employment conditions presented a mixed picture over the past twelve months, with some sectors and regions reporting expansion while others contracted.

Paul Hebden, who leads the WageSight monitoring service, indicated that the latest figures demonstrated the persistent challenges facing Oxford’s labour market.

The city’s payroll figures remained below the levels recorded twelve months earlier, and short-term monthly movements pointed to continued reductions in workforce numbers among local employers.

Analysts noted that it remained uncertain whether the observed changes reflected the beginning of a longer-term structural shift or represented temporary fluctuations in the employment landscape.