Painters and decorators Pay Data UK — 2024

Painters and decorators roles in the UK earn a median of £31,328 per year, equivalent to £15.27 per hour as of 2024. This represents a 15.1% increase in annual pay compared to the previous year. Pay varies across the UK, ranging from £24,107 to £50,183 per year.

How Pay Varies Across the UK

Each bar shows how many areas of the UK have a median annual pay in that range for Painters and decorators roles. The dashed line marks the national median.

Based on sub-regional area data. Want a precise figure for your area?

About Painters and decorators

Those working in this unit group apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other protective and decorative materials to interior and exterior walls and surfaces, paint designs on wood, glass, metal, plastics and other materials, and stain, wax and French polish wood surfaces by hand.

Typical Tasks and Duties

• erects working platform or scaffolding up to five metres in height
• prepares surfaces by cleaning, sanding and filling cracks and holes with appropriate filler
• applies primer, undercoat and finishing coat(s) using brush, roller, or spray equipment
• mixes adhesive or removes self-adhesive backing and positions covering material on wall, matching up patterns where appropriate and removing wrinkles and air bubbles by hand or brush
• stains, waxes and French polishes wood surfaces by hand

Entry Routes and Qualifications

There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an approved apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses.

Related Occupations

Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.