11th December 2025 | Hudson Contract
November washout compounds pay pressures for trades
Labour rates slipped in November as building sites endured the wettest month of the year.
Average earnings for self-employed tradespeople decreased by 0.5 per cent from October to November, to £1,070 per week, though they remained 1.6 per cent higher year-on-year.
The best-performing trades were joiners (up 7.7 per cent to £1,213), plumbers (up 4 per cent to £1,284), and other specialists (up 3.4 per cent to £977). Bricklaying (down 6.8 per cent to £941), scaffolding (down 4.7 per cent to £1,001), and demolition and wrecking (down 4.6 per cent to £1,066) saw the biggest falls.
Skilled freelancers operating in the South East and East of England enjoyed record high earnings rising 2.5 per cent each to £1,182 and £1,176 respectively. The regional outperformance, however, masked a tougher picture for most trades nationwide.
Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: “There were two key factors affecting pay trends during November – business concerns ahead of the Budget and the wettest month we've seen all year.
“You'd think the skills shortage would be driving stronger labour rates, but economic uncertainty is holding things back for most subbies. Hopefully the Budget has provided some certainty, despite the extra costs and complexity facing construction firms.”
| Region | November 2025 Average | Month on Month % Change | Year on Year % Change |
| North East | £820 | -0.1% | -2.7% |
| North West | £980 | -0.4% | 0.5% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £1,037 | -2.8% | 4.3% |
| East Midlands | £1,087 | 1.1% | 0.4% |
| West Midlands | £995 | -3.2% | -0.9% |
| Wales | £1,172 | 3.7% | 4.0% |
| East of England | £1,176 | 1.7% | 4.3% |
| London | £1,149 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| South East | £1,182 | 2.5% | 9.3% |
| South West | £1,094 | -0.2% | 1.2% |
To view our interactive pay trends map click here
Hudson tracks average pay for 17 different trades across 10 regions in England and Wales, supplying labour market statistics to the Bank of England to inform policy decisions on skilled labour demand.
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