Scaffolders, stagers and riggers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time scaffolders, stagers and riggers in the UK earned a median £41,548 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £2,509 above the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That ranks 122nd of 382 occupations on this measure.
A full-time median is published for men only; the sample of women is too small.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 12,000 employee jobs, 100% full-time.
From £33,206 in 2021, the median is up 25.1%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 23,600 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | £520.00* | – | – | £477.10* | – |
| 20th percentile | – | £634.40 | £14.93 | – | £603.70 | £14.70 |
| 25th percentile | – | £651.20 | £15.91 | – | £634.90 | £15.35 |
| 30th percentile | – | £666.50 | £16.54 | – | £657.20 | £16.31 |
| 40th percentile | – | £721.30 | £17.57 | – | £704.00 | £17.39 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £41,548 | £796.90 | £18.99 | £40,797 | £769.90 | £18.70 |
| 60th percentile | – | £897.70* | £20.49 | – | £874.10* | £20.21 |
| 70th percentile | – | £967.20* | £22.69* | – | £962.60* | £22.02* |
| 75th percentile | – | £1,076.00* | £23.26* | – | £1,053.60* | £23.04* |
| Mean | £43,899* | £876.80 | £20.12 | £43,164 | £849.50 | £19.88 |
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 | £33,206 | £711.80 | £16.91 | £33,164 | £702.20 | 14* |
| 2022 revised | – | £754.00 | £17.50 | – | £720.90 | 14* |
| 2023 revised | £35,027* | £677.90 | £16.13 | £32,150* | £650.00* | 10* |
| 2024 revised | £38,758* | £786.90 | £18.20 | £38,339* | £780.00 | 12* |
| 2025 provisional | £41,548 | £796.90 | £18.99 | £40,797 | £769.90 | 12* |
Scaffolders, stagers and riggers by region
UK: 23,600 (± 6,000), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What scaffolders, stagers and riggers do
Scaffolders, stagers and riggers erect and dismantle scaffolding and working platforms, set up lifting equipment and ships’ rigging, maintain and repair steeples, industrial chimneys and other tall structures and install, maintain and repair ropes, wires and cables. (ONS SOC 2020, 8151)
Also covers: bell hanger (church bells), rigger (film, television production), stage rigger (shipbuilding), tackleman (steelworks), advanced scaffolder, factory rigger, gromet maker, grommet maker, heavy lifter, offshore rigger, rope smith, rope splicer, rope tester, salvage rigger, scaffolder foreman, scaffolding erector, scaffolding fixer and scaffolding rigger (28 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Examines drawings and specifications to determine job requirements
- Examines scaffold tubing and couplings for defects and selects, fits and bolts scaffold tubes until scaffolding reaches required height
- Lays and secures wooden planking to form working platforms and fixes guard rails, ladders, cradles and awnings as required
- Erects jib, derrick and similar hoisting equipment and installs ropes, pulleys and other lifting tackle
- Forms rope slings, ladders, netting and other rigging and measures, cuts and repairs wire or fibre rope
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is initially received on-the-job. Skilled workers must obtain Construction Skills recognised scaffolders record scheme cards through the completion of approved courses and further work experience. NVQs/SVQs in Scaffolding are available at levels 2 and 3.
Related
Construction operatives (median £35,290) · Road construction operatives · Rail construction and maintenance operatives · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026