Almost two in three UK trades say they’re struggling with workforce shortages, with 66% saying they are having to cancel work as a result, according to new research.

Find-a-tradesperson platform, Rated People interviewed more than 2,000 tradespeople and homeowners across the UK.

It found half of all bathroom fitters, questioned, experienced issues with labour shortages

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According to the 2023 Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report, tradespeople think the main driving force behind the workforce shortage is a lack of skilled workers.

The trades also report one of the biggest reasons for the scarcity of skilled workers over the past couple of years has been the impact of Brexit, with skilled workers leaving the UK.

However, UK tradespeople also cite a lack of young people getting into the industry as the second-largest contributing factor to the current shortages.

Careers advice at school failing to advocate for trades was specifically named by one in eight (12%) tradespeople.

The trades platform is calling on the Government to do more to plug the labour shortage gap and it says more needs to be done to encourage young people into the industry.

As part of the research, Rated People discovered 48% of UK adults weren’t offered a trade career as a job option in careers advice when they were at school.

It found bathroom fitters and kitchen specialists are among the top 10 trades of job opportunities,

According to the find-a tradesperson website, there has been an increase of 44% and 42% enquiries for these job roles compared to 2020.

In a bid to help solve this and build a sustainable workforce of KBB installers, the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom installation has recently launched the BiKBBI Education Steering Committee.

Rated People hopes its latest research will help to promote the benefits of working in a trade profession and aims to highlight earning potential.

It reports on average, sole traders are making £43,561 a year, while one in four (27%) of the sole traders said they make more than £50,000 a year and 10% make over £75,000.