The most likely Glasgow trades to work over Christmas 2022 as 9% of tradespeople in the city expected to be working on Christmas Day

A staggering 9% of tradespeople in Glasgow will be working on Christmas Day this year due to the cost of living crisis, new research has revealed.

In a study conducted by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, they asked workers in Glasgow about their festive plans and 36% said that they are taking less time off this Christmas than in previous years. This is mainly due to finances, with 27% of tradespeople in Glasgow unable to afford as many days off as they used to.

On average, tradespeople in Glasgow plan to take 7 days off over the festive period.Across the UK, almost two in five (39%) tradespeople say that they will have to work on at least one of the bank holidays - Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day. Age is also a factor, as younger workers are far more likely to work all the way through the festive season.

More than a third of millennial (35%, 25-34s) tradespeople say they’ll be doing jobs on Christmas Day, just ahead of Gen Z (30%, 18-24s). On average, tradespeople say they’re planning on taking five days off this December. However, they’re unlikely to be able to fully relax, as one in six (17%) say that their friends and family have already got jobs lined up for them to do around the house.

Here’s a list of Glasgow trades most likely to be working over the festive period:

• Carpenter - 29 per cent
• Electrician - 25 per cent
• Building Surveyor - 25 per cent
• Roofer - 25 per cent
• Joiner - 24 per cent
• Plasterer - 24 per cent
• Builder - 22 per cent
• Window Fabricator - 21 per cent
• Plumber - 21 per cent
• Landscaper - 21 per cent
• Painter Decorator - 12 per cent
• Bricklayer - 12 per cent

Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “It’s been an incredibly tough couple of years for tradespeople, and the cost of living crisis is yet another challenge facing the industry and its workforce.

“Sadly then, it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many feel unable to take much time off this Christmas, but it’s important that after such a relentless 2022, tradespeople get the break they deserve. Wherever possible, we would urge workers to push jobs back slightly and take the time to rest and be with their loved ones.”

IronmongeryDirect has partnered with a HR specialist to explain your rights if an employer asks you to work over the Christmas period - to read this expert advice, visit their website.