Top earning UK trades

A new study by Capital on Tap has revealed the highest-paid trades across the UK, highlighting strong earnings potential within the removals and storage sector.

The research, which analysed both hourly and daily rates across a range of services, found that fire and security specialists and appliance repair specialists jointly top the rankings, each earning an average daily rate of £420. Despite differences in hourly charges, both trades achieve similar daily earnings due to workload and job volumes.

Notably, removals and storage services rank third, with an average daily rate of £281 and an hourly rate of £31. The findings reinforce the sector’s solid earning potential, driven by consistent demand and the labour-intensive nature of the work. Unlike some highly technical trades, removals combines physical expertise with logistical coordination, making it a competitive and resilient field.

Other high-performing trades include heating engineers, plumbers and electricians, all of which benefit from ongoing demand linked to housing, maintenance and infrastructure needs.

The study also highlights regional variations, with tradespeople in Milton Keynes earning up to 63% above the local average salary — outperforming even London in relative terms. Meanwhile, plumbing remains the most in-demand trade nationwide, generating over 180,000 monthly searches.

According to Capital on Tap, understanding local demand patterns is key for tradespeople seeking growth. For removals and storage operators, the data underlines a strong position within the UK trades landscape, combining reliable demand with competitive earnings potential. Read the full report here.