Half of UK tradespeople have delayed or refused work because of the materials shortage

The materials shortage has plagued the UK trade industry for two years, and now new research has revealed the stark impact this has had on workers in the sector.

The study, conducted by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, found that more than three-quarters (78%) of tradespeople have struggled to source the materials they’ve needed in the last year.

As a result, almost half (46%) have had to delay or turn down work, and nearly a fifth (19%) have been forced to let customers down after committing to jobs.

When asked which specific materials they’ve found difficult to find, the most common replies were paint (21%), timber (19%) and steel (17%).

The 10 materials that UK tradespeople have found hardest to source in the last year are:

#
Material
%
1
Paint
21%
2
Timber
19%
3
Steel
17%
4
Blocks
14%
5
Bricks
13%
6
Coatings
13%
7
Semi-conductors
13%
8
Plasterboard
12%
9
Cement
12%
10
Microchips
12%

Unfortunately, more than one in five (22%) respondents said that they can’t see the shortage easing anytime soon, and that they believe problems will continue into 2023.

Inflation is the main factor they blame (20%), with record levels driving up prices across the board and affecting the supply chain.

The impact of Coronavirus (17%), rising energy costs (15%) and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (15%) are also perceived to be responsible.

While the shortage has been felt across the industry, some trades have struggled to source materials more than others. The study found that plasterers (92%), surveyors (88%) and joiners (87%) have been hit the hardest.

Roofers, however, are the most likely workers to have had to turn down work (60%) as a result of the issue.