Weekly earnings for self-employed plumbing contractors continued to grow last month, according to the latest figures released by Hudson Contract.
Analysis of July payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales reveals a month-on-month rise of 0.6% to an average of £1,139. This is equivalent to an annual salary of more than £59,000, putting plumbers into the top 6% of households by income. The rise builds on the 4.7% increase seen in June.
Year on year, weekly earnings showed a 2.2% improvement compared to July 2018. This highlights the strong underlying demand for plumbers.
Plumbing remains the second-best paid of all 17 construction trades covered by Hudson Contract. Mechanical and engineering tradespeople took the top spot last month with average weekly earnings of £1,144.
Plumbers in the East Midlands saw the biggest increase in weekly earnings in July, rising 15.8% to £1,282, followed by London, up 5% to £1,014, and the West Midlands, up 3.6% to £1,073.
The highest paid plumbing contractors can still be found in the East of England where they earned an average of £1,328 last month.
Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: “Plumbers are earning the equivalent of an annual salary of more than £59,000, putting them into the top 6% of households by income. This is a powerful message for young people who want to enter the trade, be their own boss and enjoy the financial freedom.
“Our analysis shows these skilled freelancers are earning a premium for their valuable services and are a world away from ‘gig economy’ workers.”