- 5 best and worst paid cities in the UK revealed for tradespeople
- Gas engineers are the best-paid in the UK, roofers earn the least on average
A UK study has revealed Central London is the worst place to work, with tradespeople receiving the lowest remaining income compared to Aberdeen, which is the best.
The average salary for tradespeople nationwide is £35,113, 86% higher than the cost-of-living threshold (£18,816). With over half (52%) of Brits struggling financially in 2024, and with over 80,000 jobs available within the industry, tradespeople should consider where they can earn the most for their skills.
The UK’s largest online metal supplier, metals4U, analysed the average salaries for multiple trades on job sites such as Indeed, Totaljobs, and Reed comparing them to the annual cost of living per city, to determine which area of the UK has the highest remaining income in the construction industry.
The worst five cities were:
|
City |
Average salary |
Remaining income (after living expenses) |
|
Central London |
£36,661 |
£7,693 |
|
Cambridge |
£33,825 |
£13,665 |
|
Brighton |
£34,980 |
£15,624 |
|
Oxford |
£34,965 |
£15,633 |
|
Birmingham |
£33,444 |
£16,116 |
The top five cities were:
|
City |
Average Salary |
Remaining income (after living expenses) |
|
Aberdeen |
£35,636 |
£22,820 |
|
Plymouth |
£36,689 |
£21,161 |
|
Portsmouth |
£36,839 |
£21,083 |
|
Swansea |
£34,244 |
£20,636 |
|
Newport |
£33,233 |
£19,961 |
Roofing was found to be the worst paid trade with an average salary of £30,285 nationally. Cambridge roofers earn an average of £23,806, the lowest in the country. Reading has the highest-paid roofers in the UK, earning £35,867 on average.
At the other end of the scale, gas engineers were the highest paid with an average salary of £38,733. The lowest-paid gas engineers came from Dundee (£34,212) and the highest-paid came from Central London (£44,092).
Paul McFadyen, Chairman of metals4U commented:
“With the current cost of living leaving many individuals struggling, it can be worth knowing where tradespeople can get the most for their skills. There are over 80,000 jobs available within the construction industry, and with many other industries offering a higher income, the current construction skills gap will not improve if wages compared to cost of living across the UK doesn’t improve.”
