Self-employed bricklayers see wages rocket in July

Self-employed bricklayers saw the biggest increase in the size of their pay packets in July, with average weekly rates up 9.3% to £927.

Across construction, labour rates for freelance tradespeople increased by 3.5% to £953 last month, according to data from payroll firm Hudson Contract.

Earnings were 5.4% up year-on-year, more than double the 2.5% agreed between unions and employers for salaried workers.

The Construction Industry Joint Council, which is responsible for negotiating pay and conditions with unions, announced a pay deal earlier in the summer which will see pay for employed site workers increase 5% over the next 12 months.

Whether freelance rates match that will depend on the strength of demand in the industry but Ian Anfield, managing director at Hudson Contract said the early signs were good.

“For recession watchers, it is a good sign that groundworkers are busy because all the other trades follow on,” he said.

>>> Construction pay rises faster than most sectors but still falls in real terms

He added that the government could help construction “at the stroke of a pen” by reinstating the red diesel rebate, with civil engineering and plant hire firms hardest hit by its scrapping.

As well as bricklayers, civil engineers were in high demand in July with earnings rising 4.8% to £894.

Wage packets grew across every region of England and Wales except for the West Midlands.

The East of England saw record earnings with an average £1,045 taken in weekly, while Wales experienced the strongest regional wage growth at 8.2%.