UK scaffolding industry faces shortage of up to 40,000 workers, trade body says

The United Kingdom's scaffolding industry is facing a significant shortage of skilled workers, with the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) warning in March that the country needs as many as 40,000 additional scaffolders.

The trade body's estimate highlights a growing gap between the demand for scaffolding work on construction and renovation projects and the number of trained workers available to carry it out. Scaffolding is considered physically demanding work that requires specific skills to erect and dismantle structures safely.

Concerns over recruitment

Industry observers have pointed to the physically strenuous nature of the job, along with pay levels, as factors that may be discouraging new workers from entering the trade. Without addressing the shortfall, some in the industry have suggested that fewer low-rise buildings could be constructed or that projects could face delays.

The scaffolding trade has historically been passed down within families and local networks, with many workers entering the profession through relatives already in the industry. However, this traditional pipeline appears to be narrowing as fewer young workers take up the trade.

No government response addressing the NASC's workforce estimate was included in the original reporting, and it remains unclear what measures, if any, are being considered to address the recruitment gap in the sector.