North West and West Midlands areas are unaffordable for tradespeople to live in

​​​​​​​Among all the regions in the UK, Scotland ranks best overall, offering the strongest balance of income, job demand and affordability

A new Skilled Trades Opportunity Index from Premium Paints ranks all 12 UK regions based on income, housing affordability, live job demand, and construction employment.

The results show that affordability pressures once concentrated in London and the South East are now reshaping opportunity across the North West and Midlands.

 Key findings:

• The North West ranks just 10th overall (59.7/100), as rising house prices erode its historic cost-of-living advantage
• The West Midlands ranks 6th (62.6/100), trailing Scotland, Wales and the North East
• London ranks only 9th (60.4/100) despite the UK’s highest wages, highlighting the limits of headline pay
• Scotland ranks best overall (82.2/100), offering the strongest balance of income, job demand and affordability

 The data suggests that affordability is no longer a London-centric problem. Regions long viewed as realistic alternatives for skilled workers are now facing the same structural pressures: lower per-capita job availability and reduced long-term security.

With retrofit and construction demand rising nationwide, the index highlights a growing mismatch between where skilled labour is needed and where workers can realistically afford to live.