75% of electricians had payment withheld by customers in 2025
Posted by: electime 3rd December 2025
New research has revealed the problems that UK tradespeople face when asking for payment for work, with two thirds (66%) saying customers or contractors had disputed or withheld payment within the last 12 months.
The study*, conducted by metals4U, asked tradespeople how often they experience problems with payment for work, as well as how this disruption affects them and their business.
Nearly half (48%) of tradespeople said they experienced issues collecting payment multiple times a year.
The amount of lost payment that tradespeople have had to write off varies, with 5% reporting they had lost over £10,000 in payments within the last 12 months. Nearly three fifths (57%) meanwhile, have written off at least £1,000 this year.
All trades are impacted by disruption to payment, but some are more likely to experience it than others. Building surveyors are the most likely to be affected, with nearly nine in ten (89%) experiencing issues with payment in the last 12 months. This is followed by builders (87%) and bricklayers (86%).
The trades most likely to have payment disputed or withheld within the last 12 months
- Building surveyor – 89%
- Builder – 87%
- Bricklayer – 86%
- Plumber – 79%
- Joiner – 79%
- Electrician – 75%
- Plasterer – 71%
- Roofer – 71%
- Carpenter – 68%
- Painter/decorator – 62%
This lost income causes financial challenges for many tradespeople, particularly related to the health of their business. Rising material costs for most metals, including mild steel, aluminium and copper, as well as other building materials, have increased overheads, which means that preparing for a job is more expensive than ever.
As a result, nearly two in five (38%) said withheld payments lead to difficulty paying their staff or suppliers, whilst nearly a quarter (22%) of tradies say it creates cashflow problems for their company.
Whilst withheld payments are more likely to impact tradespeople professionally than personally, many tradespeople do experience disruption to their personal lives. Nearly one in five (17%) say it affects their ability to pay their personal bills, with the same amount saying not receiving payment impacts how they celebrate occasions with their family, such as Christmas or birthdays.
The reasons given by contractors and customers for withholding payments varies, with the most common being a disagreement over the final cost (35%), followed by claims that the job has not been completed (30%).
The most common reasons for disputed or withheld payment
- Disagreement over final cost – 35%
- Work claimed to be unfinished – 30%
- Customers’ personal financial issues – 19%
- Contractor cashflow issues – 19%
- Client trying to avoid payment – 17%
- Disagreement over quality – 17%
Tradespeople in some parts of the country are more likely than others to have payment for work disputed. Mancunians are the most likely to not pay for trade work, with a shocking 91% of Manchester based tradespeople saying they’d had payment withheld in the last 12 months. Those in Sheffield, however, are the most likely to be paid, with only a fifth (20%) being affected by payment issues.
The cities where tradespeople are most likely to experience issues with payment
- Manchester – 91%
- Nottingham – 76%
- Newcastle – 76%
- London – 69%
- Glasgow – 67%
- Birmingham – 65%
- Leeds – 61%
- Southampton – 55%
- Bristol – 53%
- Cardiff – 48%
- Norwich – 40%
- Edinburgh – 39%
- Liverpool – 29%
- Sheffield – 20%
Paul McFadyen, chairman of metals4U, comments: “Unfortunately, more and more tradespeople are being affected by disputes over payment from customers and contractors, and with material and labour costs rising, even a single withheld payment can have a serious impact on the finances of a business or self-employed tradespeople.
“Whilst it’s always difficult to predict whether a customer will withhold payment or not, it’s important to take steps to reduce the likelihood. Clear and consistent communication about initial costs, and any changes to the predicted cost of the job, can help the customer to understand why they need to pay more and prevent any nasty surprises for them when payment is due.
“Tradespeople can also regularly check in with the customer to gauge their satisfaction with the work, allowing for problems to be addressed as early as possible. It’s also worth considering offering payment plans where possible, to allow for customers who may have difficulty paying for essential work to pay in chunks that are easier to manage.”
For more information about metals4U, visit: https://www.metals4u.co.uk/
