Businesses will step up their efforts to take on new freelance IT workers over the coming months, the latest figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) suggest.

While the Office for National Statistics may have reported this week that unemployment across the UK is at a 16-year-high, April's Jobs Outlook paper from the recruitment group shows that prospects could be picking up for IT contractors.

Indeed, 96 per cent of the employers polled for the survey stated an optimism that their company will take on more workers over the next three months, with a similarly-high proportion just as optimistic about prospects for the next 12 months.

Notably, this upturn in recruitment is expected to be driven largely by increased demand for freelance and non-permanent workers.

"This is the most encouraging sign we have had so far that the jobs market is now gathering momentum led by a higher demand for temporary workers," Roger Tweedy, REC director of research, explained.

At the same time, the REC has stated its belief that unemployment in the UK may now have peaked, with the latest figures suggesting prospects are likely to improve over the short to medium-term future.