Is there a shortage of tradesmen/women in the UK?
Posted by ukman29@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 220 comments
I've been a homeowner for 25 years now. Owned four houses in that time and had a fair amount of work done on all of them. So in my time I've dealt with with a decent number of builders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, plasterers, roofers, brickies, tilers, decorators and so on.
I can honestly say I have never met a single one of them who isn't mad busy with work! Most of them are either turning work down or are telling you it'll be several weeks before they get round to you. I called my usual plumber last week to ask him to pop round for something. It was a week until he might possibly maybe be able to pop in and have a quick look on his way home from work, but he forewarned me that if he took the job on he's booked up for two months in advance and couldn't fit me in before then!
So, is there a shortage of tradesmen and women in the UK? Particularly keen to hear from those in the trade. Have you ever actually found yourself out of work?! The impression I get is that if you have a trade, you'll always be busy. So are we short of people with these skills, or am I under a false impression?
gracki1@reddit
Definitely a shortage of apprenticeships. Can't get into trades without that
luckylooey7@reddit
You can it’s almost all training schools now with fast track courses. I done a 4 yr apprenticeship but guys are doing 12/18 months now it’s ridiculous. Some only have 150 hours practical hands on experience for logbook entries.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
On a proper apprenticeship?
luckylooey7@reddit
Not sure what the question is bud?
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
These trade schools - are they registered as acrual government apprenticeships?
luckylooey7@reddit
No but that doesn’t matter you’ll end up with the same certification at the end. Very rarely an employer will request someone with an approved apprenticeship but honestly that’s 1/10 jobs.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
No but paying to do a course and getting a qualification is not the same skill set as being out on jobs with experienced people and learning how houses are actually weird and wonky and how to problem solve.
Im the customer and had an apprentice out to me this morning doing a few jobs - hes been with his mentor before on a bigger job and this was pretty simple.
luckylooey7@reddit
I agree & anyway tradesman worth his salt will.
I was just answering to someone who said you need an apprenticeship to be a tradesman which isn’t true now.
I’m with you if it was up to me these courses wouldn’t exist. Problem is the government no longer incentivise apprenticeships so it’s a net loss for a year or two for companies before they see any return on investment.
No_Pollution_950@reddit
This isn't true. even fairly large companies will see up to 90% of the cost of an apprenticeship subsidised.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
It was never true loads of people did a Coty & guilds at college and got their quals that way them became a trainee.
Government Apprenticeships are pretty good for 8ph and no costs up front you get a skivvy who eventually becomes quite useful.
Most of my experienced tradies have them - easier to hang doors with 2 of you for example 😂
luckylooey7@reddit
I mean this well… I’m an electrician with 20 years experience & I’ve had my own business & apprentices.
The government doesn’t fund apprenticeships like it used to. What you are taking about is long gone that’s what happened in the past.
For example when your apprentice is at college you pay them out your own pocket.
The funds you receive for an apprentice are not paid up front.
The funding doesn’t cover the cost of having an apprentice anymore hence why you see so little apprenticeships. If the government covered the costs like before you would see high volumes of apprenticeships.
Small companies can’t carry a net loss apprentice for a year or two until they are a benefit.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
Ok 👍
luckylooey7@reddit
We are on the same page by the way I agree with you. Just it’s not feasible for most companies now. It’s no longer cheap labour.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
Is £8 not cheap?
luckylooey7@reddit
It’s not £8 the costs are way higher.
Holiday pay Sick pay Pension Tools Training courses PPE Work Clothing Net loss when apprentice is at college
Not to mention loss of time on site while showing/training apprentice.
You will have a loss of earnings until the apprentice is running around in a van doing things himself.
gracki1@reddit
Did 5 years trade school in Italy but no actual work experience if you count out the lab and mandatory hours in some place where they only make you sweep floor
No_Pollution_950@reddit
5 years is pretty pointless these days. As an electrician who has always worked in the power sector, i learned way more by doing my job than i did in my formal training as an electrician. Most of our work is industrial containment, armoured cables and panel wiring. sure i can do the other stuff required of an electrician but theres no point wasting years training to do something irrelevant to your job.
Typically an apprentice who takes 5 years to get qualified with us is not a very driven individual and they aren't the best workers. the keen ones get cracking with their log books straight away and are usually fully qualified before 4 years. I completed mine in 3 but i had electrical knowledge and experience already.
luckylooey7@reddit
Yeh different in Italy I have a friend who done the same… was working as a mate with me on the sites. I think it’s a good idea tho we could do that here in the UK. Lots of kids would benefit from that style.
Crowleyer@reddit
Out of curiosity. Is there an option for weekend training schools? I have a ft job, but wish to upskill myself in some DIY skills.
Basketcaseuk@reddit
Either that or they’ve quoted you more than it’s worth. We had 2 lads come round and quote us for a cast iron soil stack removing and a new plastic stack fitting for new toilet location. We were in a rush as it was holding the bathroom up, and they quoted us £750 and did it the next day. Yes it was expensive, but they did a great job and the bathroom work could continue.
This was all caused by a bathroom fitter who we had been booked in with for 10 months, who just kept pushing us back. Ended up telling him not to bother and did it myself.
You’re lucky if tradesmen even turn up these days.
mata_dan@reddit
£750 sounds fair or almost cheap for that work to be honest.
Basketcaseuk@reddit
Nah they didn’t take it with them, but it wasn’t at the end of the drive long before the scrap man had it. They did well out of it, they were only there 2 hours, but it needed doing so no complaints.
TonyBlairsDildo@reddit
£250 a day minimum for anyone above a meth head labourer.
Waste-Product2669@reddit
You definitely can. I got on site as a labourer when I was 29 because no one wants an apprentice they can’t play a slave wage for, I worked hard and paid attention for four years and qualified as a carpenter last year. You can do your nvq online and build a portfolio on site.
gracki1@reddit
Already do have equivalent of nvq3 (eqf4). Best I could do is panel/switchgear wirer
Waste-Product2669@reddit
To be honest you really only need an nvq if you are doing plumbing/electrical work. For general building work/carpentry you can get away without one if you have the experience. I only got one because I might one day want to fuck off to Australia
No_Pollution_950@reddit
There are still people going into trades, but not enough.
Trades people have to work. lot's of people these days want to pretend to work from home while having a lie-in and slacking off on reddit *ahem*.
Also, as a tradesperson myself, most of us will do whatever we can to avoid house-bashing. Doing new industrial and infrastructure installations is nicer work and is often better paid. Of the remaining house-bashers, many of them will rightly charge a decent whack for their time and they are often busy on bigger jobs.
I've gone from being an electricial to being an engineer in the power distribution sector. trying to recruit decent electricians now, most of them want at least £40k per year plus a vehicle. Now add on mark ups to what is charged to the customer and the undesirability of house-bashing and there's your problem.
Friendly_External345@reddit
Lifetime decorator for 38 years, always had work, never advertised and always been recommended. I try to get worked looked at and priced within the week and I don't book up months in advance,I'm fairly flexible with people and try to fit you in. If I turn up and your a dickhead then I price heavy so your not interested. Over the years I've learnt about people and can sniff as a waste of time in ten seconds. Tradesmen get a lot of shit off people on here, but yet you want us to turn up and give you advice, experience and time and expect to not pay us our worth. When it comes to tax and national insurmace, I pay my whack every year, basically for fuck all. If I smashed myself up on a ladder then I'd get fuck all in benefits other than the NHS patching me up. And the taxman wants half of next year's tax off me this year as well. Imagine being paye and getting a pay slip with your tax deducted and then 50% of next year's tax in advance?
Much-Tax-2026@reddit
Just for clarity, the Payments on Account are calculated based on previous years and are charged at a point in the tax year when you should have already collected the tax that will become due once the tax return is done. It's not strictly 'in advance' of it being earned but in advance of the final tax liability calculated when the return is filed. You then just have a 'balancing payment' to make.
That said, it does feel like you're paying in advance especially when you first set up!
MT2
unaubisque@reddit
I think it's partly that they are busy and also that they earn so well now that they can't be bothered with the hassle of small jobs. If they can get enough work plumbing or wiring a house from scratch, it's very well paid and easily controllable work. Going round to different houses for odd jobs which might require specialised parts (needing repeat visits) or that may be dirty and with difficutl access is just not very appealing.
Few-Event1605@reddit
Since when is 12.5k so well paid?
Heck_@reddit
Haaaaa. I get it.
For anyone who doesn’t, you don’t pay tax on your first £12.5k earned, so the joke is self-employed people only declare £12.5k and don’t declare anything above that, so they don’t have to pay tax.
Dunno how prevalent it actually is though, but it must happen enough for people to joke about it.
Much-Tax-2026@reddit
Prevalent enough to be commonplace. HMRC wouldn't be shocked to see it happening between husband and wife, it's almost expected. When I advise I actually ask why it's NOT happening. Start roping in your kids and they better be over 18. If anyone is in full time employment elsewhere or the employment legals and payroll are not up to scratch prepare for an investigation and for your accountant not to sign off the accounts.
Goldf_sh4@reddit
Or they run limited companies, pay themselves a salary of 12.5k and pay themselves the rest in dividends/run money through their SIPP which is tax deductable.
any_excuse@reddit
You cant just “run money through a SIPP” unless you’re prepared to wait until you’re 57 to spend any of it…and then when you draw from the pension you still have to pay tax on it.
Limited companies are normally tax efficient. But the extent to which they are tax efficient is dramatically overstated.
bacon_cake@reddit
Well, unless you've got a mr or mrs and a few kids to "employee".
Much-Tax-2026@reddit
This is having them as employees so they draw the £12.5k and take advantage of the tax free allowance, which really just goes back into your or your family budget. If the family members are over 18 it's really hard for HMRC to deny it's legitimate. You can also have them as shareholders and they take a dividend. These costs also reduce your corporation tax.
However, you need to substantiate the employment is essential to the running of the business, run payroll fully, have employment contracts, etc.
Feeling_Boot_5242@reddit
That only helps if your turnover is high enough to make it worthwhile.
Goldf_sh4@reddit
Turnover only has to be over around 45k to make it worthwhile
any_excuse@reddit
You're talking about literally just committing fraud, not running as a ltd.
bacon_cake@reddit
That's what the quotation marks were implying, yes.
3583-bytes-free@reddit
HMRC are wise to that trick
BabaSarah@reddit
Are you sure, I know a lot of self employed tradesmen and taxi drivers who say otherwise
any_excuse@reddit
You can do it but need to be able to substantiate that you're paying a fair market rate and they are actually doing duties. You can't just say "yea yea my wife and 3 kids all work for me and I pay them 50k" and expect to get away with it, that is straightforwardly fraud and hmrc will peg you for it
bacon_cake@reddit
Yeah but they don't do a lot about it. Just get your wife to do some filing every now and then and you've got plausible deniability.
Goldf_sh4@reddit
You pay tax on it at the end, but only after HMRC has added in an extra 25% and you've had years/decades for compounding to grow the pot.
any_excuse@reddit
Sorry, you don’t properly understand how this works.
The 25% is grossing up post-tax contributions. If you are taxed on income, you receive 80%. If you pay that 80% into a pension, 25% needs to be added to bring it back to 100%.
This leaves you in exactly the same position.
There are tax benefits to contributing to a pension, but you haven’t outlined them. Pensions provide mostly a tax deferral, rather than a tax saving. The savings are because you’re likely paying a lower rate of tax in retirement than during your working life, and the fact that pensioners don’t pay NICs.
Goldf_sh4@reddit
Sure. I am by no means an expert. Of course, a 25% tax-free lump sum can be taken out of a SIPP.
any_excuse@reddit
With respect, I know you aren't because you invented a completely fictiuous tax benefit to contributing to pensions because of a fundamental misunderstanding as to how the relief works.
I am not trying to be mean, but there is no need to try contribute to a sort of crowdsourced tax planning if you have no expertise in the field. Best to leave it to the experts.
Possiblyreef@reddit
My gfs ex pays her child benefit based on his income reported to hmrc every year.
Bizarrely he's earned about 15k a year until the financial year 23/24 when he was applying for a mortgage with his current partner and for that year he declared about 45k. As if by magic he's gone back to earning 15k in fy24/25.
Must have worked his little socks off that year bless him 🙄
Goldf_sh4@reddit
I know a man who does this to get out of paying 90% of his child maintenance payments. He was boasting about it in the pub.
mctrials23@reddit
As someone who runs a LTD company with myself as the sole employee…it’s barely worth doing vs just being a sole trader. The days of it being a big difference are long gone.
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
True, if you want to draw a regular wage there's nothing in it anymore. Maybe if you want to build up your pension or smooth out a few high earning years it's worth it but other than that sole trader is a lot simpler.
Both-Silver-8783@reddit
It isn’t just trades men and women even Sir David Attenborough does it. In 2011 the government tightened up the rules and changed the law. If you got your income from one employer you couldn’t claim to be self employed. The employer benefited by not paying employer’s NI contributions and employee protection went out of the window. Shortly after the changes the Sainted Sir David started working for Sky as well as the BBC.
zeelbeno@reddit
Why do you think they all want cash in hand...
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
What's the highest a tradesman could earn 150k a year?
Heck_@reddit
What? They could earn up to any amount. How much they declare is a different story altogether.
Also tax thresholds have nothing to do with minimum wage.
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
Never heard of a tradesman being rich tho!
Danmoz81@reddit
Charlie Mullins, Pimlico Plumbers
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
Shoots! Good catch lad
butterypowered@reddit
I know a few with big house, fancy car, fancy holidays, fancy clothes. And they’re ‘just’ self-employed. Not running a company with other employees.
Certainly more fancy stuff than I have, and I’m the one with the degree and tech job.
Heck_@reddit
I really don’t understand your line of questioning… like, yeah, people are ho work as tradespeople for someone else might not earn a lot of money. But someone who is self-employed and owning a company could potentially earn quite a lot.
Goldf_sh4@reddit
Especially if they contract work out to others.
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
Yeah attractiveness of this profession is not tied to the income is what I wanted to deduce, that might be the answer to OP's question.
ukrepman@reddit
A real answer (without jokes) is it is unlimited. If im assuming you're young and looking to go into a trade, if you're alright with your hands it can be great. It's a rewarding job and very well paid when you're in your 20s, plus you gain genuine skills that are useful in real life.
Most tradesmen I know bought a 'doer upper' house and sold, rinse repeat etc, and are now living very comfortably in their 30s, while someone chasing the corporate ladder might earn more on paper, they don't have as good a quality of life imo.
Also, in regards to the wage, you can earn an unlimited amount. If you work away in say london, i know electricians earning ~1500 a day. So say you really, really grafted, did 6 days a week with no time off and destroyed yourself for a year, you could do 400k+. Obviously, the easier money is building a business and having people do the work for you.
But realistically you are going to earn ~50k for a nice, steady plumber/electrician job
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
That’s great insight lad thanks! They deserve more tbh!
ukrepman@reddit
12.5k
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
That's worse than a minimum wage then?
Yamsfordays@reddit
They earn much more.
They don’t declare it as earnings to avoid tax.
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
How much more do you reckon? 100k?
Fluffy_Ad2274@reddit
There was someone on the HENRY thread making 200k from being a handyman in London - built up to it, obviously, so now gets blick jobs from eg letting agents. But I could definitely see it's possible by charging for a job, not by the hour
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
200k bros doing belgravia or Mayfair, are the jobs based on areas actually
Fluffy_Ad2274@reddit
Not sure - I vaguely think not, but go and look for the thread.
will8981@reddit
Its not that they dont declare it, they operate as Ltd companies so their salary is 12.5 and they take the rest as dividends. The dividends will be taxed at corporation tax 25% and then a further 8.75% up to the higher earning threshold.
Im not saying no cash goes under the table but its not to the extent that people are making out here.
Yuriski@reddit
And thats only the few who are self employed and gaming the system... Yet reddit makes it seem like everyone who works a trade is some tax-dodging millionaire company owner.
GREENGRAVY_@reddit
Yeah it's definitely only a few. I've known hundreds of lads in trades over the year, we always chat about money tax time. I don't know anyone who's run as a ltd company. I do know some who lie on their books, I know some that REALLY lie on their books. It backfired for a decent percentage of them, it's not worth the risk. Being self employed if you're on a decent wedge you can easily avoid a lot of tax with a SIPP and expenses - mileage obviously being the best one.
desertdodo123@reddit
it’s definitely more than a few. same for car garages. they usually prefer cash in hand
Top_Riski@reddit
It’s why so many of them cried during the pandemic, the government only paid out based on their profits/revenues in previous years that they reported.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
What trades are earning that?
Sea_Appearance6837@reddit
It’s a joke about the scum who don’t declare their income
darS234@reddit
Not all scum. Some just take the minimum salary and top up with dividends to be tax efficient
Sea_Appearance6837@reddit
Yes, just when it’s dropped with a humorous tone like that I assume it’s a 😉 example
Lopsided_Rooster6819@reddit
Why would anyone pay more tax than they can get away with ? are paye employees morally superior, no they just can't get away with it ! Self employed, no sick pay, holiday pay or pension you can't just turn up and work you have to find it, it's a choice of course, I get that
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
Limited company director and self employed are not the same - as a limited company director i pay myself through PAYE even when im sick including a private pension! In fact a private pension is an excellent way of not paying tax legitimately !
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
How is it not legitimate?
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
I said it is very legitimate - you dont pay tax on pension contributions!
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
Sorry yeah I see, yeah well they will top it up but you will likely pay tax when you draw it down.
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
The future is the future.
The top up from government outweighs any likely tax i would think.
Lopsided_Rooster6819@reddit
Fair play !
farr2211@reddit
You know most of it is about being a limited company taking at 12.5k salary and the rest as dividends right? Perfectly legal and absolutely anyone who owns a business does the same
PracticeNo8733@reddit
That used to be a big dodge but there's not nearly so much advantage to it any more.
farr2211@reddit
Depends if you also pay your wife 12.5k to be your secretary that can help. Still better than being in higher tax brackets
EmptyStock9676@reddit
Don’t forget putting any kids 16 or over on the payroll!
EmptyStock9676@reddit
.. you can use their 12.5 k allowance too
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
You can technically just say you earn nothing when you do your tax return. There's basically nothing to stop you doing that but if you're caught then that's not gonna be great.
Sea_Appearance6837@reddit
Yeah I know I replied to another comment saying when it’s mention in a humorous way I assume it’s the non legitimate practice they’re referring to
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
Ah ok 👍
The ones who came unstuck in covid as they didnt have sufficient official income 😤 😂
Yuriski@reddit
What tradesperson aside from a first year apprentice is earning only £12500 a year?
MinimumSilver5814@reddit
Officially, all of them.
darS234@reddit
Oh dear 🤣🤦♂️
MesoamericanMorrigan@reddit
Way more than I earned as a groom, which a basically a slave industry in the U.K.
Ever heard of working pupils? All the yards run on 12 year old volunteer labour or people who are just that obsessed with horses and wanting to compete they will do anything. Leave their friends and family live on a yard and have no social life. They tell an apprentice it’s 8-5, 5 days a week and you’ll have time to do coursework, then ask you to do 6am to 7pm 6 days a week plus another 2 hours at night EVERY day of the week including rest day/annual leave/holiday and sack you once you finally have a physical/mental breakdown
TentativeGosling@reddit
Ones who are paid cash in hand
IntravenusDiMilo_Tap@reddit
Maybe a little dividend on top but we can always knock a little off for cash
Sea_Appearance6837@reddit
I can’t tell if people replying are serious 😂
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
12.5k isn't even enough to live with parents or even live on a meal deal 365 Days a year!
Bossman_Mike@reddit
One of the first things I learned when becoming a homeowner was that "no job too small" and "no obligation free quote" are the biggest fucking lies since Neville Chamberlain appeasing Hitler.
PracticeNo8733@reddit
As someone who wants some small jobs doing this is infuriating. I get that there are relatively more time/etc overheads with small jobs - so charge me more! Don't just make it impossible to get stuff done.
Harvsnova3@reddit
Don't forget undoing the multiple cowboy jobs that have been done and have most likely caused the issue you're having.
Source: Bought a mid-terraced "ranch" nearly 30 years ago and still find (albeit long lasting) bodge jobs from time to time.
Curious-Resort4743@reddit
Yes there is some of this, trades are not poor so they tend to pick and choose well paying work and over price a lot of stuff they don't want to do.
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
If such selectivity existed some essential trades would be dead and demand would rise, so selection should be based on demand maybe
Curious-Resort4743@reddit
Since we left the EU a lot of the Eastern European folks have left, they were cheap, high quality work for the most part. Leaving has put upward pressure on the availability and cost of getting work done.
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
But the population of the UK increased by a couple of millions over the last couple of years alone. What are these people doing?
Corona21@reddit
They aren’t trades people from eastern Europe.
The population also hasn’t increased by a couple of millions since 2023/24
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
Where did write that I mean 2023/24? You've got like 3mln easily since 2020. Those are official numbers, you can easily add more on top of that as there are unofficial arrivals too.
Corona21@reddit
Thats migration, not total population. I wrote 23/24 because that would be the timeframe from a couple of years ago. It’s what you said
A quick google yields ‘24 population at 69.3 million with estimates this year at 69.9 million.
Population.
If that’s not what you mean, be precise. Otherwise it sounds like you are spinning a narrative.
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
Dude, do you know what net migration means? If in a year 1.2mln arrived and 0.3mln left the country, you have got a net migration of 0.9mln, which means you've got 0.9mln people more in the country than a year before. Is this really that difficult to understand? It doesn't matter what word you use, the reality is, that there is a couple of millions people more in the country today than in 2020 for example.
Corona21@reddit
If we are talking about millions more over 6 years not a couple, and we are talking about migration not total population
Say those things.
Population in 2020 was 67.1 million Projected for 2026 is 69.9 million.
2.8 million in 6 years is 460,000 per year total population.
Migration peaked in 23 and 24 but in total, population growth has since settled back to the average growth rate we have had since 1950.
From this year population growth can only be maintained from immigration.
LambonaHam@reddit
You're being overly pedantic and literal. Is that just a general character flaw of yours, or are you deliberately engaging in bad faith?
Everyone else understands what is being said, do you?
Corona21@reddit
Who else understands? Are they in the room with us now?
Being accurate isn’t being pedantic. You are making sweeping generalisations based on flawed assumptions.
You made a point that millions of people have come, suggesting that the person you responded to was wrong or misinformed.
Maybe you didn’t mean that. But as you have failed to be coherent with any actual point it’s hard to tell.
LambonaHam@reddit
Everyone else in this thread seems to.
I am not. I understand what OP is saying. Do you actually not understand their point, and you're genuinely asking for clarity in a good faith, if hostile manner?
Or do you understand, and you're just being hostile because you dislike what's been said?
I never said that, I'm not the OP.
Regardless, when people use words like "couple", they very rarely mean it literally. It's typically used to mean 'several', or 'multiple'.
You may not be happy about that, but it's the truth.
Corona21@reddit
You still haven’t made your point
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
Leave him mate, it's not worth it 😂
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
Except, nobody has got a clue how many people is currently in the UK, many think it's well over 70mln already.
Corona21@reddit
What exactly does
Mean?
And who are these “many” that think this and what is their basis?
If you are going to just blindly believe whatever nonsense, without some critical pause, then I have a bridge to sell you.
Feeling_Boot_5242@reddit
Nothing. That’s why the welfare bill is out of control
IllustriousWedding94@reddit
Filling the jobs that the brexiteers wanted them to fill.
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
I'm afraid that's not the case.
IllustriousWedding94@reddit
Ok. You tell me what they are doing then. And show your sources.
LambonaHam@reddit
The onus would be on you to prove a positive, not someone else to prove a negative.
IllustriousWedding94@reddit
Already did.
LambonaHam@reddit
Where? I'm not seeing it.
IllustriousWedding94@reddit
Replied to ElectricPandas telegraph post
LambonaHam@reddit
I see their telegraph post, I don't see any response from you 🤷♂️
IllustriousWedding94@reddit
Ok. I see it. No idea why you don't see it, sorry
JoeTisseo@reddit
Sfa
Electrical_Panda_326@reddit
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/04/labour-welfare-bill-income-tax-revenue/
TonyBlairsDildo@reddit
High Skilled Car Wash Operative Msc Visa holders doing what high skilled car wash operatives do (working in modern slavery indentiture to pay off human trafficking costs).
Bossman_Mike@reddit
A friend of mine told me a story he heard about his local Tesco some years ago.
Apparently some people in a marked Border Force van simply stopped in for lunch, then people noticed the hand car washing service was abandoned in a bloody big hurry and men were seen scattering everywhere.
zeelbeno@reddit
Delivering takeaways
farr2211@reddit
We have seen a rise in barber shops and vape stores so my guess would be that
No-Implement9331@reddit
But they haven't gotten cheaper
farr2211@reddit
Why would they?
No-Implement9331@reddit
I have like 5 barbers in one street it's ridiculous that everyone's price is above 25 pounds. And 2 more are expected to be coming mind you these are men's.
TonyBlairsDildo@reddit
Don't forget driving up demand for medical malpractice tribunals, keeping legal aid barrister's mortgages paid.
Aggressive_Chuck@reddit
Human smoke alarm. Urban scarecrow. Barber. Hand car washer. Guide dog blocker. Big issue seller. Beggar. Vape merchant. Deliveroo rider. Dependent. Member of Scottish parliament.
onionsareawful@reddit
Excuse me, they're senior fire watchers. Highly necessary!
captainclectic@reddit
The government pulling funding for apprenticeships definitely hasn't helped.
happybaby00@reddit
White collar work for cheaper, corner shops, wiring and cash in hands.
jaju123@reddit
Mostly healthcare roles
Fantastic-Dingo-5806@reddit
Takeaways, taxis, delivery drivers, deliveroo, oh and claiming benefits.
JoeTisseo@reddit
Cheap and high quality don't go together and the experience I've had with the people you speak of, over the last 10 years on site most definitely doesn't correlate.
funkmachine7@reddit
It was only cheap when they where working with the goal of soon returning to much poorer poland.
Wages in poland have gone up a lot, the days of spending 3 months working your heart out in england and going back to poland with a house deposit are long over.
Used-Skill6748@reddit
Thats not true. Building sites are completely full of eastern Europeans. There is very little vacancies on building sites for all trades, had been this was for the last 2 or 3 years.
clrthrn@reddit
Any Poles still in UK just charge the same as the locals now, no more cheap work (according to my builder cousin).
apple_kicks@reddit
I low key think the government should offer subsidies for home improvements like kitchens or bathrooms for everyone. Voucher that can only be spent on trades and uk suppliers.
Improve conditions of housing and boost job demand. Probably need rules to stop fraud in it like proof of completion
NibblyPig@reddit
Absolutely. These days it's easier to just do it yourself.
Had a mate who built his own brick wall, meticulously, after watching YouTube videos. It took a ludicrous amount of time but I'll be damned if it wasn't both perfect and going to last forever. So if it takes a few days to build a small brick wall instead of some experienced guy bashing it out in 2 hours so what.
Same applies to most things at home. The amount of DIY stuff I've learned simply because tradesmen are impossible to find is staggering
HistoryDisastrous493@reddit
Definitely a shortage of good ones. Polish tradespeople usually the way to go, usually much better quality work
confuzzledfather@reddit
OK then topic of trades women, something I have noticed when traveling is ow poorly represented women are in trades in this country, versus places like the US. Not sure why that is, because I wouldn't say we are any more sexist than other countries. Perhaps it's a function of the massive impact choosing your options at 14 has on some ones perceived open career paths.
Top-Permission-7524@reddit
Women here simply don't want to work those sort of jobs
confuzzledfather@reddit
Yes, but interested to speculate why.
funkmachine7@reddit
The people you have to work with can be cave men.
Tales of abusive hasing of men can get nasty, women well it could be a horror story.
Both-Silver-8783@reddit
We are was involved with apprenticeship training there was a sharp decline in our numbers when there was an influx of East European trades men. Also many trained Brits were sacked and replaced by cheaper East European labour. It was a twofold disaster for our construction industry you can only blame the employers at the time. As an example a man I knew was working as a dry waller in London. Called into the site office to be told his day rate was being cut by 50%, they could get East European who would work for that money.
funkmachine7@reddit
There a genaration of would be trades men and women that just didnt get a start becuse of cheap East European labour.
No-Assignment-5287@reddit
I seem to remember the media at the time saying it was a good thing.
Bossman_Mike@reddit
I completely agree.
Everyone is shitting on about "AI" morning, noon and night - yet I've currently got a month wait for an electrician to upgrade my RCD and put a couple of new sockets in my spare room.
captainclectic@reddit
I definitely don't think theres a shortage. At least in my city that is. Theres a shortage of quality, reliable, trustworthy tradespeople though. Too many cowboys chasing money.
smellyfeet25@reddit
i agree with you. they are always busy. I think most people want to work in IT rather than learn a trade.
HumpertyNumperty@reddit
Yes. I run a medium sized specialist heating company (we need the best technicians with lots of quals) It’s incredibly difficult to find competent employees. Recruitment is our biggest headache by far. We’re booked up months in advance. It’s annoying to be honest as we can’t react very quickly to customers who often think we’re being awkward or giving them the run around . The phone is constantly ringing and jobs come in quicker than we can deal with them.
What a great position to be in….except we just can’t get the staff and everyone just end up burnt out by it all…
We’re thinking about opening our own training centre because the industry just can’t supply the boots on the ground.
BOLTINGSINE@reddit
The industry has no interest in taking on young and determined aspirants
craigybacha@reddit
Especially with the rise of AI kids should be highly suggested to go and learn a trade. It's such a good way of future proofing yourself.
So many trades people I know too (the good ones I've used) hardly have any availability. Have to book them up weeks in advance due to being so busy. They must all be raking it in
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
I'd say most decent trades will be getting between £40-70k, nicher stuff will get more but the work will be technical and specialised and probably require some sort of certification that is difficult to acquire.
craigybacha@reddit
Thanks for sharing. Not as much as maybe I thought then, but still a good career.
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
Good when you're young. That's it.
old_witness_987@reddit
the UK used to import trades, theen let a few old f**ts tell them to go home, the polish ones did.
WildWanderingRedHead@reddit
I find a lot of them are saying no to the smaller jobs which I find difficult as I'm doing up a big victorian house. One man simply didn't turn up 13 times before I gave him the boot. I only gave him so many chances because I was desperate. Fair enough they are taking the bigger jobs. I have decided to switch to female tradies only too, due as a single woman having so many different issues with the male ones so the pool is even smaller. I do think some of the tradies are cancelling smaller jobs if they get offered a higher paying one... which I understand. But why they have to just not turn up... when you've taken a day off work. I am at my wits end.
JoeTisseo@reddit
You rearranged a meeting with somebody 13 times? Lol fair play you are persistent.
WildWanderingRedHead@reddit
he was the only one who agreed to do it as it was a smaller paid job... it was something essential but small. If he had just told me he wasn't coming it would have been okay, I'm pretty chill. but geez. what a loser
insertitherenow@reddit
There’s loads but there’s loads of work for them. It’s really hard to find tradesmen for small jobs now.
LambonaHam@reddit
This is the problem I've had recently. I've had to let the jobs I can't take care of myself stack up, because it's not worth their time to come out and fix one small thing.
BigFloofRabbit@reddit
To be fair, in the past everyone did small jobs at home themselves in their spare time. We are just going back to that.
insertitherenow@reddit
Only if you have the skill. I’m useless at DIY.
Full-Measurement4927@reddit
Yeah because you need to find like 25k a year to pay someone who doesn't know anything lol, Reddit got no clue about business
chippyminton456@reddit
I’m a carpenter and site foreman and in my opinion construction in the UK faces some really deep issues.
Firstly training is poor. The introduction of the NVQ system and the government taking control of training rather than City and Guilds has destroyed standards. I did part of my apprenticeship in France and it was eye opening. The level across many other European countries particularly France, Germany, Switzerland and the Nordic countries far outstrips us. Not just in course content but also structure, expectations and access to equipment. I have had apprentices here that see no problem with using photographs of my work as their evidence and using AI to write their portfolios. This practice is often encouraged by their tutors.
Secondly UK trades people suffer a terrible image problem. Partly self inflicted and partly from society at large.
On the continent being a tradesperson is a respected profession. Something to be encouraged and professionals are proud of their skills. Here trades people are often looked down upon, have their knowledge and craft taken for granted and the public (not all) want what they saw on social media for nothing and done in no time at all. However in my eyes too many tradespeople don’t respect themselves and their craft enough, and aren’t particularly presentable or professional.
Lastly we are often trades first and business people second. These are two different skills and the second one isn’t often taught to us. The UK construction industry (particularly domestic) is heavily reliant on sole traders. Expecting people to practice a trade full time whilst also running a business on top of that is not for the faint hearted.
Milkym0o@reddit
No.
Tradesmen, just like everyone else, don't want the ag of dealing with the public.
Domestic is grim work, and there's only so many willing to put up with it and who also can compete with the cowboys undercutting.
PazyP@reddit
Apprentices coming through the pipeline but also good trades people and busy, word gets out they are good and the benefit.
We had 2 rooms skimmed about 6 months apart 2 different plasterers 1st room the guy could do it next week we didn’t think anything of that and thought ideal. Guy that did the other room couldn’t get us in got a month, fair enough.
Anyway we had a painter in and he was like who the hell plastered your downstairs room was it a diy job? We didn’t see any difference but according to the painter it was shocking compared to the upstairs room
unablenarcissist@reddit
Plastering is the hardest to find I find. I’m a plasterer, a lot of lads now are site skimmers who can’t do anything technical, cutting corners and thinking they’re the bollocks. On top of that there’s a lack of apprentices now, let be honest, I don’t blame young lads, it’s a painful job, dirty, but the money is there if you’re good at it.
TheAngryBad@reddit
I'm a handyman, started about 3 years ago. My marketing when I started up was doing a leaflet drop in my local village, a website I hacked together in an afternoon and a google business listing.
I've done zero marketing since then (other than updating my website to remove some services I no longer offer), simply because I don't need to. I've got more work than I can handle as it is, I'm currently booked out until June.
So yeah, I'd say there's a shortage. I'm unqualified, don't really advertise or go looking for business and yet I'm overrun with work. It's insane.
Feeling_Boot_5242@reddit
I’m a self employed plumber, predominantly do bathrooms and I’m booked up usually 3-4 months ahead. I my self have stopped working weekends and keep trying to improve the work/ life balance. Maybe more people are doing the same thing. Also, there is defo a lack of reliable, good quality trades out there.
mike_stb123@reddit
I dobt know if there is a shortage of workers, but there is definitely a shortage of good tradese Men workers. In my houses I had multiple jobs done, and about 50% of the tradesmen I delt with were horrible.
If you find a good one keep his number and spread it.
I dint even mind to pay a bit more but when I ask someone do to a job, I want it done properly.
lardarz@reddit
Trying to persuade my 9yo daughter to become an electrician but she wants to be a cake designer instead
Fantastic-Dingo-5806@reddit
Yes. I can't get them to come and quote. Sometimes I can't even get a call back.
It'll be a miracle if I get this work I need doing done before I'm dead and buried.
clrthrn@reddit
The rule here is that if a tradesman says they can come tomorrow, they are shit. Book your trades people well in advance unless it's an emergency. Not a shortage as such, just good ones that people actually want to hire get booked up fast.
theModge@reddit
Apart from anything else, if I wasn't sure I was going to be working tomorrow until someone phoned me everyday I'd change industry very quickly. Now I'm old and have a family even the 6 month / 1 year fixed term contracts beloved of academia make me itchy.
If you're absolutely sure the phone will ring everyday with work for the next day, or that there's some fallback work that'll always take you, that's fine but it's hard to have that certainty.
Beneficial_Hat_2460@reddit
Mostly that they can set their price, post covid, so only choose the bigger jobs that are worth more.
st1ckygusset@reddit
Literally mid-way going through my receipts.
oneyeetyguy@reddit
There's massive demand, as a gardener I am seeing loads of people who need to hire me because they don't have time (overworked professionals) or are physically unable to (massive pensioner population in the UK).
I have begun ramping up my prices to ease demand, but people are still happy to pay me up to £45/hr for some jobs.
Regular_Fruit_2907@reddit
Yes, I've work booked up till end of July and only squeeze in old customers for emergency work. I'm starting to take jobs on now for August / September. When I did my trade the firm I worked for would take on 50 apprentices every year in the different trades from sparks to patten makers, it was a massive engineering company, now it's just small one man bands
mata_dan@reddit
Of course, and amongst those that do exist there is still a skills gap.
To get into the career they often have to start with corporate new build budget saving companies who don't support them and only train for easy new build fast methods.
Then a massive amount of the rest of the market is from landlords who don't care about a good job being done or if they do they are too naive to pick a good contractor anyway so overall the demands to the industry doesn't promote better quality or skills development.
This is why I've still not bought yet aside from being single, I'm likely to end up just buying outright in cash eventually rather than get stuck with a first time buy that needs a shitload of work done that can't be done.
Stevevilla1982@reddit
I’ve worked in builders merchants for 25 years and the 2008 recession killed the apprenticeship levels and they have never recovered. There are less tradesman (coughs) now as kids don’t want to earn the wages of an apprentice for 3-5 years when you can get decent money instantly at say a supermarket etc etc. The skills shortage is only going to get worse I fear. There’s been a huge shift in the past 15 or so years of parents being able to subsidise and support there children to a greater end and youngsters are not seeing the bigger picture of where a trade could take them shame really. If I had my time again I’d have jumped straight from school in to a trade.
Any-Street6992@reddit
The UK’s Temporary Shortage List for 2026 includes plumbers, steel erectors, floorers, tilers, painters, decorators, and building trades supervisors. That’s the official list of occupations where the UK doesn’t have enough workers.
No-Poem@reddit
I had to ditch my city and guilds Electrician course after the first year because I could not get an apprenticeship. I had applied to 100's of companies, but generally had the same response from all of them; they are too busy to take on an apprentice. This was back in 2006 so I am sure things are different now, I see more apprenticeships advertised, but do wonder how many people actually want to go into a trade but can't.
Special-Egg4@reddit
Tradesman here. It's actually really hard to find the right kind of work. Employers offer low wages for relative experience, poor working conditions and lots of aggro. Contracting for a company is a roll of the dice whether they'll pay you at all, let alone correctly or on time. Companies constantly going bust and renaming to avoid debt. Going self employed is a nightmare. Customers don't want to pay enough to cover tax, a pension etc so have to work for peanuts and do all admin, costing quotes etc in own time unpaid. And there's still always someone willing to do it cheaper. Regardless you have to keep a vehicle and tools and pay overheads like insurance and living costs. It's a minefield. Went into this to deliver quality work at an ethical price point. Reality is I'm struggling to keep my head above water without selling out to horrendous vultures.
BigFloofRabbit@reddit
Sadly, I think a lot of people have no idea how much just running a work van costs, even. Several hundred pounds per month. At least £20/30k straight off the bat, then very expensive insurance because of all the tool thefts.
oldt1mer@reddit
I think in part it's area and trade specific.
Recently I have have had to book a plasterer for a pretty big job (to me) in Northwest England.
My parents had a similar job that needed doing in the home in South west England and the difference in response rate was huge.
My parents had real difficulty finding anyone or getting quotes.
I had 5 people contact me within an hour, quotes by the end of the day and someone booked in to start within a week.
Also once people find an electrician or plumber they like, they will use them for every job big or small because trying out someone new doesn't feel worth the risk involved.
With plumbing and electrics as well everyone has them so there will be more tradespeople about In more urban areas as there's enough work to go around, whereas in a rural area there's fewer people who need the service and less choice on who can do the job.
SpamJavelin00@reddit
Decent ones - yes !! Ones that actually arrive and aren’t rip off merchants .. as evidenced by how much quicker many ‘find the time ‘ to attend a gullible old lady with a post office account than attend for someone who knows it’s a small job. Many are bone idle also .. I have a neighbour plumber I asked to fix my tap - 3 weeks and excuses later , I got someone else . I think he assumed he was valuable & I needed him more than he needed me .. an assumption sharply corrected when I pointed out that I was currently doing a legal claim for neighbours totalling 7 grand , which I did for free but seeing as he can’t be arsed , neither can I & he can piss clean off. Touché !! Many are useless & arrogant like that . Rare you’ll find a reliable one with integrity
srogijogi@reddit
I think that there are multiple reasons.
- good, experienced tradespeople earn good money indeed and are booked well in advance. I know one of them. Last year you needed to book him 3 months in advance. This year is much worse for him, it's only 1.5months :) He works only 6 days per week, he could do 7 (that's guy who loves to work) but his family argued.
- it is difficult to get to the position of above. Apprenticeship pays shit, some people in business are not really happy to share their 'secrets' and use apprentices as a cheap workforce for simplest jobs, which is obviously against the whole idea of apprenticeship.
- there is and there will be always a demand. Britons quite a lot, so there are always some people who just bought their next flat/home. Britons (some?most?) are unable to do very basic jobs, so there will be always a demand for simple stuff. British building standards are...well...low, -and average British homes are old, so there will be always a demand for repairs and upgrades.
Andries89@reddit
There's a shortage of quality tradesmen imo
DameKumquat@reddit
Good tradies are like gold dust in London. Brother does plumbing and gas up north and is as busy as he wants to be - when he got a new van he didn't even bother putting his logo and contact details on it, because he'd only get more people phoning him up that he can't fit in. He's had a couple apprentices and now delegates a lot of the crap work to them because they're young and bendy, but the colleges need to train up more people, ideally ones with enough organisational skills to run a small business, as opposed to the kids who couldn't do anything else.
If I want a tiler, there's a few recommended ones, but it'll be a 4-6 month wait. Or there's handymen of varying skills for small jobs. The tradies prefer large jobs, which leaves households who don't have someone able-bodied enough to do good DIY up a creek.
Unepetiteveggie@reddit
You need apprenticeships to get trades people and current generation don't want the hassle of training someone - it's a lot of work and insurance etc.
Then you have to also have the people wanting to go into it.
So add those together and yeah, it's a dying profession. Bricklaying is especially screwed, there is just no one replacing the current generation.
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
Well theres a lot bricklaying influencers tho?
Unepetiteveggie@reddit
Idk about influencers hahaha I just know what my teacher told me in my DIY class and they teach trades for a living
Aggressive-Spend-338@reddit
Aren't Tradesmen over regulated with the costs outweighing the service?
AllThatIHaveDone@reddit
There's no regulation of tradesmen in the UK.
Plus_Pangolin_8924@reddit
Seems that way. I had a pinhole leak on some manifold in my boiler. All the plumbers in my area were like can get to you in a week. Like no that’s not gonna do there’s water going everywhere. Found the part for £26 in Screwfix and 30 mins of my time I had it replaced and working the same day. Stupid yes to mess about with a gas boiler but I needed the heating so what else was I going to do. I also saved myself a boat load as well. Last time something went wrong with it I was charge £60 for a £5 part. I also did a full rewrite of a room. Again lack of helpful electricians about to do it but skills are skills. I did end up getting the house tested about a year later after the fusebox started being funny and had zero issues with my work so winner.
Kudosnotkang@reddit
It’s a huge mix of reasons. There’s definitely a shortage of good ones - but the definition of good varies massively . There are plenty that are competent but terrible at communicating, estimating timescales accurately, punctuality and managing expectations .
To be fair to tradespeople, because people live in houses and are so familiar they seem to think they know about construction principles and what they want so managing expectations is tough from the start.
I just saw a post on here where a guy had paid for professional advice for a loft extension and they recommended replacing and raising the roof , the Redditor thinks that’s bullshit and is asking reddit how to lower his floor and downstairs ceilings . It’s mad but if they’re convince a tradesperson to do it another cowboy is born .
Jeoh@reddit
There's a shortage of good tradespersons.
Deep_Pepper_5405@reddit
I guesss it depends on the area. Where I'm from, the tradies (builders and decorators) I know are out of work for majority of winter. My cousin works as a healthcare assistant during winter months so he can top up his paycheck. Then in summer months he works long hours at building sites.
There is a hortage of apprenticipts. There are kids who are not getting qualification because nobody is willing to give them an unpaid internship.
RestaurantAntique497@reddit
People are also super inefficient in the UK and often take longer on jobs than they really should
Lopsided_Rooster6819@reddit
We are the least productive in most of Europe, even the French beat us !
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