UK Building Trade in Numbers

How Many People Work in the UK Building Trades / Construction

Total Construction Workforce

According to recent data, there were 2,054,009 workers in the UK construction sector in Q3 2025.
source BCIS

In Q1 2025, the number was ~2.13 million, with over a third self-employed.
source: specificationonline.co.uk

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) forecasts that the construction workforce will grow to around 2.75 million by 2029.
source CITB

Skilled Trades (Construction & Building) Specifically

According to the ONS Annual Population Survey (via a Commons Library briefing), there were ~312,300 employees in “construction and building” skilled trades (i.e. not just general construction roles) for July 2023–June 2024.
source Research Briefings

There are currently ~2 million plus people working in construction in the UK, and of those, around 300,000+ are employed in skilled building trades.