Latest research carried out by Simply Business has revealed that the ongoing shortages of supplies and skills have cost UK tradespeople in excess of £3.5 billion in 2021. 

As part of their survey, Simply Business spoke to 250 tradespeople throughout the country. 83% of them said they are experiencing price hikes on materials, whilst 70% have had to turn down work due to high demand. 

We already know that the pandemic has made the import of materials more expensive, but the shortage of HGV drivers is also adding to the issue. 

The survey concluded that the average tradesperson has lost out on an average of £5,598, and with over 801,000 tradespeople in the UK, that equates to more than £3.5 billion. 

Simply Business also talked to individual workers regarding the issue. One tradesperson said that the price of timber increased by £5,000 between leaving the depot and arriving at the yard, meaning the costs were inevitably passed down to them, and then to the consumer. 

“I would like clients to understand that a price rise is only due to high materials cost,” he said. 

Another added that they had to let some of their employees go because of the impact of supply shortages, and another still said that they’ve been forced to effectively shelve their business and turn to freelancing.