The average costs for hiring tradespeople has risen by nearly 20% since the start of the lockdown a year ago, according to Hudson Contract.

Hudson Contract is a payroll firm that manages the earnings of more than 30,000 construction workers, and also supplies more than 2,500 construction companies.

All regions across England have seen double-digit earnings in growth year-on-year.

In their latest analysis of earnings, data shows an average weekly pay of £878 during April – this is an increase of 19.6% compared to April 2020.

Figures vary regionally, with the largest increase coming from the South West, and the lowest from London, with an increase of just under 5%.

Hudson Contract

However, Hudson Contract has warned that supply chain pressures are tightening as the revival of the economy fuels demand for skilled labour and materials.

Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: “The housing market is in a state of frenzy with mortgage lending rising to record levels, homeowners are spending cash piles built up during lockdowns on renovation and remodelling work and the government is proceeding with mega-projects and shovel-ready schemes to ‘build back better’.

“The UK economy is roaring so the challenge now is for the construction industry to keep pace whilst dealing with spikes in demand for skilled labour and materials.

“Clients are now telling us the materials crisis is outstripping the skills shortage as the main threat to their growth prospects and the main cause of inflation in construction costs.”