The UK State of the Trades report 2026 has been issued, commissioned by Jackson Woodturners.
Jackson Woodturners writes:
As a trusted supplier to thousands of UK joiners, builders, and carpenters, we at Jackson Woodturners work closely with tradespeople every day, hearing first-hand the positives and pressures of life on site. From healthy customer demand to skill shortages among the workforce, these conversations inspired us to take a deeper look at the current trade landscape.
We commissioned our State of the Trades survey, gathering insights from 500 tradespeople across the UK. The findings reveal a mixed outlook for the year ahead: one defined by rising costs, customer pressure, and mental health concerns; and underpinned by strong demand and resilience in the sector.
The biggest challenges of the past year
A huge 90% of tradespeople say they have faced work disruptions this year, with external factors continuing to shape the industry.
Top five causes of disruption:
- Rising material costs: disrupted 43% of tradespeople
- Customer cancellations: disrupted 33% of tradespeople
- Late or withheld payments: disrupted 20% of tradespeople
- Import and supply delays: disrupted 18% of tradespeople
- Poor weather: disrupted 18% of tradespeople
These findings show how vulnerable project schedules can be. For small businesses and independent tradespeople, even one cancellation or delay can have a big knock-on effect. When combined with late payments or supply issues, it can become a tough environment to operate in.
