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Average Sheet Metal Worker Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A sheet metal worker in United Kingdom earns about 21,100 GBP a year. That's 70% below the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 9,500 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 29,600 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a sheet metal worker make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
21,100 GBP
1,758 GBP per month
Lowest reported
9,500 GBP
791 GBP per month
Highest reported
29,600 GBP
2,466 GBP per month

A typical sheet metal worker working in United Kingdom brings home around 1,758 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 9,500 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 29,600 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior sheet metal worker working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the sheet metal worker salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How sheet metal worker pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all sheet metal workers in United Kingdom earn less than 19,100 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 13,900 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 24,200 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of sheet metal workers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 9,500 GBP. The highest stretch to 29,600 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

9,500
Low
19,100
Median
29,600
High
13,900
25th
24,200
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Sheet metal worker pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a sheet metal worker in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical sheet metal worker salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    13,900 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +18% from previous
    16,400 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +30% from previous
    21,400 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +14% from previous
    24,400 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    26,500 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +14% from previous
    30,100 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 30%. That is the point at which a sheet metal worker typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Sheet metal worker pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving sheet metal worker pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average sheet metal worker salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    15,200 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +39% from previous
    21,200 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +28% from previous
    27,200 GBP

Sheet metal worker gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male sheet metal workers in United Kingdom earn an average of 21,700 GBP a year, while female sheet metal workers earn around 18,600 GBP. That works out to a 17% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Sheet Metal Worker gender pay gap

14%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 21,700 GBP
Women 18,600 GBP

Pay raises for a sheet metal worker in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 9% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 7% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Sheet metal worker bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

29%

29% of sheet metal workers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a sheet metal worker a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary. The remaining 71% of sheet metal workers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Sheet metal worker: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Sheet metal worker salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Sheet metal worker pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Coventry
  • Cardiff
  • Edinburgh
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • London
  • Newcastle
  • Birmingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion40,300 GBP39,400 GBP19,300-59,800 GBP
ScotlandRegion26,900 GBP27,300 GBP12,000-41,400 GBP
CoventryCity23,800 GBP22,200 GBP9,900-34,700 GBP
CardiffCity23,800 GBP22,400 GBP9,500-36,500 GBP
EdinburghCity23,800 GBP20,400 GBP12,200-35,300 GBP
LeedsCity23,800 GBP23,800 GBP13,200-34,700 GBP
ManchesterCity23,700 GBP21,700 GBP12,600-34,000 GBP
LondonCity23,700 GBP24,800 GBP12,400-35,600 GBP
NewcastleCity23,400 GBP21,700 GBP10,200-33,500 GBP
BirminghamCity23,200 GBP25,300 GBP11,000-34,400 GBP
PeterboroughCity23,000 GBP23,200 GBP11,900-32,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity22,600 GBP22,100 GBP10,120-32,200 GBP
BristolCity22,200 GBP23,800 GBP13,900-35,500 GBP
LeicesterCity22,100 GBP21,300 GBP10,800-33,800 GBP
GlasgowCity22,000 GBP22,000 GBP12,500-37,300 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity21,700 GBP21,200 GBP9,900-30,300 GBP
SomersetCity21,500 GBP26,200 GBP12,300-35,600 GBP
OxfordCity21,100 GBP21,100 GBP11,300-31,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity21,100 GBP22,200 GBP8,460-35,300 GBP
BradfordCity21,100 GBP20,400 GBP12,200-32,600 GBP
NewportCity20,900 GBP19,300 GBP7,970-30,800 GBP
SheffieldCity20,700 GBP21,400 GBP10,000-31,700 GBP
GloucesterCity20,500 GBP20,300 GBP12,400-29,100 GBP
DerryCity20,500 GBP17,800 GBP11,000-30,100 GBP
NewryCity20,300 GBP18,900 GBP7,630-30,800 GBP
NorwichCity20,300 GBP16,300 GBP9,900-28,900 GBP
ChesterCity20,300 GBP18,900 GBP11,020-30,800 GBP
SwanseaCity20,200 GBP19,100 GBP10,800-31,800 GBP
SouthamptonCity20,200 GBP21,100 GBP9,500-31,700 GBP
LiverpoolCity20,100 GBP22,800 GBP11,900-35,100 GBP
YorkCity20,000 GBP19,100 GBP12,200-30,300 GBP
NottinghamCity20,000 GBP21,700 GBP10,300-33,600 GBP
PlymouthCity20,000 GBP21,700 GBP7,850-31,800 GBP
BelfastCity20,000 GBP22,600 GBP12,100-32,900 GBP
BrightonCity20,000 GBP18,600 GBP13,200-30,700 GBP
DerbyCity20,000 GBP20,000 GBP8,260-32,200 GBP
ExeterCity19,400 GBP19,200 GBP9,500-29,300 GBP
CanterburyCity19,300 GBP19,300 GBP6,990-26,100 GBP
LincolnCity19,300 GBP21,100 GBP8,390-30,700 GBP
LisburnCity19,300 GBP19,300 GBP10,000-26,100 GBP
WakefieldCity19,300 GBP17,100 GBP9,840-26,500 GBP
StromnessCity19,200 GBP19,400 GBP8,400-29,300 GBP
SalisburyCity19,100 GBP16,100 GBP10,090-27,000 GBP
RiponCity19,000 GBP18,400 GBP8,390-27,400 GBP
WinchesterCity19,000 GBP17,800 GBP10,320-27,400 GBP
StirlingCity18,900 GBP21,100 GBP7,450-29,600 GBP
AberdeenCity18,600 GBP20,300 GBP9,500-30,800 GBP
InvernessCity18,600 GBP18,000 GBP10,210-25,500 GBP
ArmaghCity18,200 GBP20,200 GBP12,400-28,900 GBP
DundeeCity18,200 GBP20,900 GBP11,900-29,600 GBP
HartlepoolCity18,200 GBP20,900 GBP11,900-29,600 GBP
BangorCity18,000 GBP20,300 GBP9,090-29,000 GBP
CambridgeCity17,900 GBP16,300 GBP7,730-29,600 GBP
WalesRegion17,800 GBP17,100 GBP11,900-29,300 GBP
PooleCity17,800 GBP19,300 GBP7,530-29,100 GBP
AbingdonCity17,100 GBP19,200 GBP9,520-29,600 GBP
TruroCity17,100 GBP17,900 GBP7,630-29,900 GBP
WellsCity16,900 GBP19,300 GBP6,620-27,300 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion16,300 GBP16,300 GBP10,240-26,300 GBP
DurhamCity16,300 GBP19,400 GBP7,230-28,900 GBP
StrontianCity16,100 GBP17,100 GBP8,830-23,600 GBP
St DavidsCity15,700 GBP17,100 GBP7,680-27,600 GBP
KirkwallCity15,700 GBP16,300 GBP9,760-28,800 GBP

Sheet Metal Worker in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a sheet metal worker make per month in United Kingdom?

    A sheet metal worker in United Kingdom earns about 1,758 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 21,100 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a sheet metal worker in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level sheet metal workers in United Kingdom start near 9,500 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 29,600 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 13,900 and 24,200 GBP.

  • Is the median sheet metal worker salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 19,100 GBP, lower than the average of 21,100 GBP. Half of sheet metal workers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for sheet metal workers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a sheet metal worker in United Kingdom earn around 17% more than women on average (21,700 vs 18,600 GBP a year).

  • Do sheet metal workers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 29% of sheet metal workers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary.

  • Do sheet metal workers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a sheet metal worker about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do sheet metal workers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A sheet metal worker in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 9% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 7% a year.