Wages for self-employed construction workers have recovered to pre-Covid levels, according to the industry’s biggest payer of subcontractors.
Hudson Contract has said that average weekly pay rose month-on-month by 1.2% during November to £901, the highest level since February.
The best-performing regions for earnings growth were the northeast (up 8.4%), London (up 6.8%) and the southwest (up 5.3%), according to its data.
Hudson’s Managing Director Ian Anfield said: “It was business as usual for most construction firms last month as they continued to operate through the lockdown.
Skilled workers who want to work are working. Others are staying at home and claiming the government’s self-employment income support scheme. Most of our clients are reporting a decent amount of activity and have already secured projects for next year.”
He added: “The housebuilding sector remains buoyant with support measures due to continue into the first quarter of 2021 and the government is committed to new infrastructure spending.”
Mr Anfield said that demand for labour on building sites has flattened off at 90% of pre-Covid levels.
The recovery in demand which started in the summer “reached the top of the V” in November, he said, and is now in a seasonal cycle ahead of the festive period.
