The UK Trades Sector in Numbers: Market Size, Workforce, and Digital Adoption (2026)

Every number that matters: workforce size, market value, turnover by trade, skills shortage data, and the digital adoption gap that creates a massive opportunity for tradespeople who show up online.

1.88 million UK tradespeople. £39.6 billion RMI market. 166,000-worker shortage. And only 45% have a Google Business Profile. Here's the UK trades sector in numbers.

TapReview 11 min read Industry Tips

Key Takeaways

The UK Trades Sector in Numbers: Market Size, Workforce, and Digital Adoption (2026)

The UK trades sector is the largest business sector in the country — 15.8% of all registered businesses. It employs nearly 1.88 million skilled workers, generates £39.6 billion in domestic repair and maintenance output, and faces a skills shortage of 166,000 people that's projected to hit 250,000 by the end of the decade.

It's also one of the least digitally advanced sectors in the UK economy. Only 10% of construction businesses analyse any data. Only 13% use cloud computing. And only 45% of home services businesses have verified their Google Business Profile.

This post compiles every relevant statistic on the UK trades sector — workforce size, market value, turnover by trade, digital adoption, and the skills crisis — so tradespeople and anyone serving the sector has the numbers in one place.

For the review-specific data, see: Google Reviews statistics for UK tradespeople (2026).

TL;DR

Workforce: how many tradespeople are in the UK?

Overall numbers

People in skilled trades roles ~1.88 million ONS/CITB/House of Commons Library 2023–2025 Tradespeople (narrower definition) ~900,000 Kingfisher/Cebr 2023 Self-employed construction workers ~745,000 (most of any industry) ONS via Statista Q3 2024 Construction businesses as share of all UK businesses 15.8% (largest sector) House of Commons Library / Business Population Estimates 2025 Construction SMEs 870,000–885,000 GOV.UK Business Population Estimates / Statista 2024–2025

Sources: ONS, CITB, House of Commons Library, Kingfisher/Cebr, GOV.UK

The definition matters here. The broadest figure (~1.88 million) includes everyone in skilled trades occupations across all sectors. The narrower Kingfisher/Cebr figure (~900,000) focuses specifically on tradespeople. The self-employed figure (745,000) captures the large proportion of the trades workforce that operates independently — construction has more self-employed workers than any other UK industry.

By trade type

Electricians ~230,000 workers 48,993 businesses (+2.3% YoY) ONS 2023; IBISWorld 2024 Plumbers ~150,000 Not separately reported The Page/industry data 2023–2024 Bricklayers/Masons ~68,000 (down 35% from 105,100 in 2004–05) Not separately reported ONS via The Page

The decline in bricklayer numbers (down 35% over two decades) reflects the broader skills challenge facing the sector — fewer people entering the trades, combined with an ageing workforce.

The skills shortage

Current tradesperson shortage 166,000 Kingfisher/Cebr 2023 Projected shortage by 2030 250,000 Kingfisher/Cebr 2023 New skilled workers needed (next decade) 1.3 million Checkatrade UK Trade Skills Index (with Capital Economics) 2024 Additional apprentices needed 350,000 Checkatrade UK Trade Skills Index 2024 Additional electricians needed by 2032 ~104,000 Checkatrade Trade Skills Index 2024 Additional plumbers needed by 2032 ~73,700 Checkatrade Trade Skills Index 2024

Sources: Kingfisher/Cebr, Checkatrade UK Trade Skills Index 2024

The Checkatrade UK Trade Skills Index 2024, produced with Capital Economics, is the most detailed breakdown of the skills gap by trade. Electricians face the largest shortfall, driven by EV charger installations, heat pump adoption, and growing demand for smart home technology.

For tradespeople already in the sector, the shortage is good news: demand for your skills is strong and growing. But it also means the competition for higher-value jobs — the ones where customers actively choose rather than desperately grab whoever's available — is increasingly won on reputation. Google Reviews and a visible online presence help you capture premium work rather than emergency calls.

Market size: what's the UK trades sector worth?

Home improvement and repair market

Private housing RMI market £39.6 billion (contractor + DIY) Barbour ABI/AMA Research 2025 Domestic RMI economic value £29 billion (2022) Travis Perkins/ONS 2022 UK home improvement market value £11.2 billion (2024) Hillarys/Primethorpe Paving 2025 Projected home improvement market (2033) £16.67 billion Hillarys/Primethorpe Paving 2025 UK home services market £8.4 billion (2024) DataHorizon Research 2024 Projected home services market (2033) £12.8 billion (CAGR 4.8%) DataHorizon Research 2024

The headline figure is £39.6 billion for the private housing RMI market. This encompasses everything from boiler replacements and rewires to kitchen refits and loft conversions. The narrower "home improvement" figure (£11.2 billion) and "home services" figure (£8.4 billion) capture different segments but all point the same direction: substantial and growing.

Growth projections

Home improvement sector growth forecast 40% over next decade Checkatrade UK Trade Skills Index 2024 Homeowners intending improvements (next 12 months) 54% Primethorpe Paving analysis 2024 Homeowners planning to increase improvement budget in 2025 22% (average increase: £7,386) Keystone Market Research 2025 Homeowners intending to renovate by 2027 ~7 million Hillarys 2024 Average renovation project cost £14,000 Hillarys 2024 Average weekly household spend on property improvements £41.80 (~21% of total expenditure) ONS 2022–23

The Checkatrade figure — 40% growth over the next decade — is the most striking. Combined with the skills shortage (1.3 million new workers needed), it creates a supply/demand dynamic where qualified, trusted tradespeople will be in increasingly high demand.

Spending patterns

According to Checkatrade's Q3 2024 Home Improvement Index, the average building job cost £12,634 in Q3 2024 — up 19% from Q2. This suggests homeowners are investing more per project even as overall economic conditions tighten.

Tradesperson turnover by trade

Simply Business (2025) publishes the most detailed breakdown of average annual turnover (pre-tax revenue) by trade type:

Builders £110,260 -4% Plumbers £86,394 +3% Electricians £74,448 -2% Gas fitters £74,387 +12% Joiners £73,160 -4% Carpenters £64,523 +2% Bricklayers £63,167 -6% Tilers £61,706 -2% Roofers £56,799 -30% Plasterers £56,783 +3% Painters/Decorators £52,652 +5% Handymen £46,203 +4% Cleaners £43,504 +5% Overall average £66,172 —

The overall average of £66,172 is down significantly from £82,821 in 2022 — a 20% decline over two years. Roofers saw the steepest single-year drop at -30%, while gas fitters benefited from the boiler replacement and heating efficiency market with a +12% increase.

These turnover figures are important context for review ROI. When Harvard Business School research shows a one-star improvement on review platforms increases revenue by 5–9%, that's £3,309–£5,956 for the average tradesperson. For a builder, it's £5,513–£9,923.

For the trade-specific revenue calculations: how star ratings affect revenue for UK tradespeople.

Digital adoption: the gap is enormous

Construction vs other sectors

The UK Business Data Survey (GOV.UK, 2024) reveals how far construction lags behind other sectors digitally:

Analyse data 10% ~30% Finance: ~55% Use cloud computing 13% ~35% Finance: 45% Have a website (sole traders) 65% 68% (all), 74% (micro) N/A

Only 1 in 10 construction businesses analyse any data at all. Only 1 in 8 use cloud computing. This isn't about sophisticated analytics — it's about basic digital infrastructure that most other sectors take for granted.

Broader UK SME digital adoption

For context, here's how UK small businesses more broadly engage with digital:

UK small businesses with a website 87% FSB report 2023 UK small businesses using online marketing 70% FSB report 2023 UK SMEs using paid digital advertising 60% IAB UK 2023 UK SMEs not using any paid digital advertising 40% IAB UK 2023 Average digital channels used by SMEs 1.3 IAB UK 2023 Sole traders using accounting software Only 1 in 3 Enterprise Nation/LSBS 2024 Trade businesses typical monthly SEO/PPC spend £300–£1,500 SEO for Trades 2024

The FSB figures show that UK small businesses overall have much higher digital adoption than construction specifically. The 87% website rate for small businesses generally vs 65% for construction sole traders highlights the gap.

Google Business Profile adoption

Perhaps the most relevant digital adoption statistic for tradespeople: according to Birdeye's 2025 State of Google Business Profiles, only 45% of home services businesses have verified their Google Business Profile — the lowest rate of any industry studied. The all-industry average is 64%.

Given that Google holds 93.5% of UK search market share and controls 81–90% of review volume for home services, this means the majority of tradespeople are invisible on the platform where their customers are looking.

For the full breakdown: Google Business Profile statistics for UK tradespeople.

The opportunity gap

What the numbers reveal

Three structural dynamics emerge from this data:

1. Demand is strong and growing. The £39.6 billion RMI market is projected to grow 40% over the next decade. 54% of homeowners plan improvements. 7 million plan renovations by 2027. There's no shortage of work.

2. Supply is constrained. The 166,000-worker shortage (rising to 250,000 by 2030) means qualified tradespeople are in high demand. 1.3 million new workers are needed, plus 350,000 apprentices.

3. Digital visibility is the differentiator. In a sector where 55% of businesses don't have a verified Google profile, 90% don't analyse data, and 87% don't use cloud computing, even basic digital presence puts you ahead of the majority. A strong Google profile with consistent reviews doesn't just compete with other digitally-active tradespeople — it competes with the 55% who aren't visible at all.

The competitive advantage of being online

For a tradesperson with a verified, complete Google Business Profile and 30+ recent reviews, the competitive landscape looks like this:

The barrier to entry for digital visibility in the trades is remarkably low. Verifying a Google Business Profile takes 15 minutes. Collecting reviews via TapReview costs £9/month. The gap between "invisible" and "visible" in this sector is measured in minutes and single-digit pounds, not major investment.

What this means for tradespeople

The macro picture is encouraging: strong demand, constrained supply, and a digital adoption gap that rewards anyone who takes basic steps. Here's what the data says you should do:

1. Verify your Google Business Profile. You'll immediately be ahead of 55% of home services competitors. Free, 15 minutes. Setup guide here.

2. Collect reviews consistently. 83% of customers will leave one if asked. Even 2–3 per week puts you above the median within months.

3. Position for premium work. The skills shortage means there's more work than workers. Reviews and reputation help you capture the higher-value jobs — the kitchen refits and extensions, not just the emergency callouts.

4. Invest in your online presence, not just platforms. Checkatrade, MyBuilder, and Rated People have their place, but Google Reviews are the asset you own. Platform comparison here.

TapReview is a £9/month tool that helps UK tradespeople get more Google reviews by sending automated review requests via WhatsApp and SMS after every job. In a sector where 55% of competitors are invisible online, consistent review collection is the easiest competitive advantage available.

Frequently asked questions

How many tradespeople are there in the UK?

Approximately 1.88 million people work in skilled trades roles (ONS/CITB/House of Commons Library, 2023-2025). There are around 870,000-885,000 construction SMEs, making construction the largest business sector in the UK at 15.8% of all registered businesses. Around 745,000 are self-employed — the most of any UK industry.

What's the UK trades sector worth?

The private housing repair, maintenance, and improvement (RMI) market was worth £39.6 billion in 2024 (Barbour ABI/AMA Research). The broader home improvement market is valued at £11.2 billion, projected to reach £16.67 billion by 2033. The home services market is £8.4 billion, projected to hit £12.8 billion by 2033.

What's the average tradesperson turnover in the UK?

The average across all trades is £66,172 per year (Simply Business, 2025), down 20% from £82,821 in 2022. Builders top the table at £110,260, followed by plumbers (£86,394), electricians (£74,448), and gas fitters (£74,387). Roofers saw the steepest decline at -30% year-on-year.

How many tradespeople is the UK short of?

The current shortage is 166,000 (Kingfisher/Cebr, 2023), projected to reach 250,000 by 2030. The Checkatrade UK Trade Skills Index 2024 estimates 1.3 million new skilled workers are needed over the next decade, plus 350,000 apprentices. Electricians face the largest individual shortfall at ~104,000.

How digitally advanced is the UK construction sector?

Among the least advanced in the UK. Only 10% of construction businesses analyse data, 13% use cloud computing, and 65% of sole traders have a website (UK Business Data Survey, GOV.UK, 2024). Only 45% of home services businesses have a verified Google Business Profile — the lowest rate of any industry.

Related reading

TapReview helps UK tradespeople get more Google reviews with one tap. Try it free →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tradespeople are there in the UK?

Approximately 1.88 million people work in skilled trades roles (ONS/CITB, 2023-2025). There are around 870,000-885,000 construction SMEs, making construction the largest business sector at 15.8% of all UK businesses.

What's the UK trades sector worth?

The private housing RMI market was worth £39.6 billion in 2024. The broader home improvement market is £11.2 billion, projected to reach £16.67 billion by 2033.

What's the average tradesperson turnover in the UK?

The average across all trades is £66,172 per year (Simply Business, 2025), down 20% from £82,821 in 2022. Builders top the table at £110,260, followed by plumbers at £86,394.

How many tradespeople is the UK short of?

The current shortage is 166,000, projected to reach 250,000 by 2030. 1.3 million new skilled workers are needed over the next decade, plus 350,000 apprentices.

How digitally advanced is the UK construction sector?

Among the least advanced in the UK. Only 10% of construction businesses analyse data, 13% use cloud computing. Only 45% of home services businesses have a verified Google Business Profile — the lowest of any industry.