A total of 93% of tradespeople who run their own business said it causes them stress or anxiety, according to new research.
The NOW Report 2026 has been published ahead of World Mental Health Day, which is set to take place on Saturday 10 October. It is run by job management software firm Powered Now with Installer magazine. The research also found that 45% of tradespeople experience stress regularly.
The research pointed to admin and money as the main causes, rather than the work itself.
Tradespeople who handle their own admin spend an average of five hours 20 minutes a week on it, and 29% spend more than seven hours. A further 62% do it in the evenings after work and 43% do it at weekends. More than a third regularly do admin late at night or at weekends that they wish they could avoid. The delays cost work too, as 55% believe they have definitely or probably lost a job because a quote went out too slowly.
Late payment adds to the pressure. On average, tradespeople are owed £5,901 in unpaid invoices, and 26% are owed more than £10,000. Two thirds have had a customer deliberately delay payment, dispute an invoice unfairly or try to avoid paying. Half have been ignored by a customer after finishing a job, and 60% have written off money because chasing it felt like too much hassle.
A total of 48% of business owners surveyed had taken a week’s holiday in the past year where they fully switched off.
Benjamin Dyer, CEO and co-founder of Powered Now, said: “Tradespeople aren’t stressed about the work. They’re stressed about everything around it. You finish on site, get home, and then the other shift starts: quotes, invoices and chasing money. We can’t keep treating that as just part of being self-employed.”
Despite the pressure, 84% of those surveyed would still recommend the trades as a career to a young person.
Powered Now has encouraged tradespeople to check in on each other this week, and to point anyone who is struggling towards support. Samaritans can be reached free on 116 123 at any time, and the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity supports people working in the trades.