Hudson Contract said average weekly earnings for self-employed tradespeople in construction fell by 6.9% in April, compared to March, down from 拢959 to 拢893.
Earnings were also 2.2% lower in April 2022 than they were in April 2021.
Earnings reached in March this year matched the record high seen in December 鈥� the equivalent to an annual salary of approximately 拢50,000.
Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: 鈥淎s expected, earnings for April were impacted as freelancers took their families away for a long-awaited holiday with the lifting of Covid travel restrictions across many European short-haul destinations and plenty of good deals on offer. The well-publicised queues at Manchester airport and tailbacks outside Dover will have been full of self-employed tradespeople heading off for some early season sunshine. Well-paid subbies took a well-earned break after doing so much to keep the wider economy going over the last two years.鈥�
The East Midlands saw the biggest monthly dip in earnings (down 13.7%) followed by the Northeast (down 11.2%) and Wales (down 9.1%). Shop fitters were the only trade to increase their earnings, which rose by 0.8% to 拢1,105 per week.
Average weekly earnings by region
| 听 | April 2022 average | Month on month change | Year on year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 拢674 | -11.2% | -8.2% |
| Northwest | 拢859 | -5.4% | -0.3% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 拢864 | -7.7% | 5.8% |
| East Midlands | 拢923 | -13.7% | -1.6% |
| West Midlands | 拢909 | -2.5% | 2.2% |
| Wales | 拢812 | -9.1% | 5.9% |
| East of England | 拢953 | -4.3% | 0.1% |
| London | 拢937 | -8.8% | 10.6% |
| Southeast | 拢944 | -6.1% | 3.6% |
| Southwest | 拢913 | -2.2% | -6.9% |
Average weekly earnings by trade
| 听 | March 22 | April 22 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | 拢960 | 拢832 | -13.3% |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | 拢891 | 拢822 | -7.8% |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | 拢938 | 拢836 | -10.8% |
| ELECTRICAL | 拢1,118 | 拢1,031 | -7.8% |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | 拢912 | 拢835 | -8.4% |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | 拢998 | 拢939 | -5.9% |
| INSULATION | 拢980 | 拢917 | -6.5% |
| JOINERY | 拢1,052 | 拢1,021 | -3.0% |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | 拢1,037 | 拢1,019 | -1.8% |
| PLASTERING | 拢857 | 拢806 | -6.0% |
| PLUMBING | 拢1,139 | 拢1,028 | -9.8% |
| ROOFING | 拢790 | 拢759 | -3.9% |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | 拢817 | 拢787 | -3.7% |
| SHOP FITTING | 拢1,096 | 拢1,105 | 0.8% |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | 拢892 | 拢806 | -9.6% |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | 拢979 | 拢794 | -18.9% |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | 拢882 | 拢831 | -5.8% |
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