Elementary construction occupations n.e.c.: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time elementary construction occupations n.e.c. in the UK earned a median £28,591 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 27% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (75th from the bottom).
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £24,654 and £34,378.
Median full-time pay: women £25,384 a year, men £28,600 a year.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 55,000 employee jobs, 84% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 30.2% (from £21,952), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 91,600 people in this line of work, 16% of them in South East.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £21,323 | £454.20 | £12.17 | – | £230.00* | £12.00 |
| 20th percentile | £23,805 | £490.00 | £12.25 | £20,514* | £438.70 | £12.21 |
| 25th percentile | £24,654 | £510.40 | £12.50 | £22,855 | £462.00 | £12.34 |
| 30th percentile | £25,357 | £522.20 | £12.97 | £23,635 | £488.40 | £12.51 |
| 40th percentile | £26,569 | £552.20 | £13.40 | £25,364 | £520.30 | £13.16 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £28,591 | £586.70 | £13.85 | £26,723 | £553.70 | £13.68 |
| 60th percentile | £30,568 | £616.20 | £14.64 | £29,446 | £600.00 | £14.48 |
| 70th percentile | £33,121 | £689.60 | £15.52 | £32,078 | £636.20 | £15.32 |
| 75th percentile | £34,378 | £723.60 | £16.08 | £33,418 | £690.70 | £15.90 |
| 80th percentile | £36,251 | £763.40 | £16.77 | £34,813 | £734.80 | £16.58 |
| Mean | £29,950 | £624.90 | £14.65 | £27,260 | £558.60 | £14.57 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £21,952 | £440.00 | £10.54 | £21,443 | £421.40 | 62 |
| 2022 revised | £23,322 | £460.50 | £11.00 | £22,426 | £433.60 | 52 |
| 2023 revised | £24,787 | £506.50 | £12.15 | £24,200 | £484.50 | 58 |
| 2024 revised | £26,510 | £524.90 | £12.82 | £25,023 | £496.40 | 54 |
| 2025 provisional | £28,591 | £586.70 | £13.85 | £26,723 | £553.70 | 55 |
Elementary construction occupations n.e.c. by region
UK: 91,600 (± 11,700), April 2025 to March 2026. 9 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 14,500* | ± 4,800 |
| West Midlands | 13,400* | ± 4,800 |
| North West | 9,700* | ± 3,800 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What elementary construction occupations n.e.c. do
Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of general labouring and construction duties to assist building, civil engineering and related trades workers in the performance of their tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 912: Elementary construction occupations. (ONS SOC 2020, 9129)
Also covers: building worker, electrician’s mate (building construction), hod carrier, labourer (building construction), odd job man, sea diver’s assistant, asbestos lagger, asbestos packer, asphalt mixer, asphalt potman, asphalter's mate, board tacker, boiler clothier, boiler coverer, boiler lagger, bricklayer's assistant, bricklayer's helper and bricklayer's labourer (189 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Conveys blocks, bricks, stone, mortar, roofing, felt, slates, wood and other building materials to the work area
- Assists with the erection of ladders, scaffolding and work platforms, the rigging of cradles of hoisting equipment and the attaching of slings, hooks and guide ropes
- Mixes mortar, grouting material, cement screed, and plaster, prepares adhesive, primer and paints and similar construction material, and undertakes basic decorating, painting, plumbing and other maintenance and repair tasks
- Cleans equipment and tools, clears work area and otherwise assists building and woodworking trades workers as directed
- Performs general labouring tasks such as loading and delivering materials and equipment, removing wall coverings, and preparing surfaces by cleaning, sanding, filling, etc.
- Covers ceilings, floors, walls and exposed surfaces of boilers, pipes and plant with insulating material
No academic qualifications are required. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs in a variety of construction and craft occupations are available at levels 1, 2 and 3.
Related
Elementary construction occupations (median £30,419) · Groundworkers · Industrial cleaning process occupations · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026