2020 begins with a bounce as earnings soar for plumbers

Self-employed plumbers enjoyed a big bounce in earnings in January after taking a well-earned break at the end of last year.
 
Average weekly pay for plumbing contractors rose by 46.2 per cent to £1,322 last month, according to analysis of payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales.
 
Freelancers in West Midlands saw weekly earnings more than double in January to £1,484. This is equivalent to an annual salary of more than £71,000.
 
Their counterparts in London and the South East similarly saw substantial increases last month, rising 62.9 per cent to £1,489 and 49.4 per cent to £1,286 respectively.
 
The analysis shows that plumbers had highest earnings of all 17 construction trades last month.
 
In December, their weekly earnings fell 22.4 per cent to £904, consistent with time taken off work to spend with families over the festive period.
 
Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: “Overall, demand for skilled trades at the start of 2020 is much stronger than the start of 2019, which shows renewed confidence in the business outlook for the construction sector.
 
“As our figures show, self-employed plumbers are receiving handsome rewards for their services. This is a great advert for the construction industry. It shows young people that if they are prepared to put in the effort to learn a valuable skill, they can gain financial freedom and independence as a result.”
 
Hudson Contract delivers the most accurate indication of sub-contractor pay trends across the construction industry, using payroll data to publish the average pay for a spectrum of 17 different trades split across ten regions in England and Wales.
 
About Hudson Contract:
 
Hudson Contract, founded in 1996, is the UK’s largest professional workplace audit and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) contract provider. The family-owned group provides audit contract and payroll services to more than 2,200 construction SMEs, on whose behalf it processed 1.7m payments last year. Hudson Contract’s monthly figures offer a valuable insight into pay trends in the £90bn construction industry, which accounts for 6.7 per cent of the UK economy and supports 2.9m jobs.