Construction and building trades

How to become a plumber and heating and ventilating installer or repairer

Official title: Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers

Also called: Plumber, Repairer, Installer, Heating fitter, Plumber-welder, Stove repairer, Heating adviser, Meter installer, Heating engineer, Heating installer, Heating consultant, Bathroom installer

Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers assemble, install, maintain and repair plumbing fixtures, heating and ventilating systems and pipes and pipeline systems in commercial, residential and industrial premises and public buildings for non-renewable and renewable energy.

Main tasks

Examines drawings and specifications to determine layout of system
Measures and cuts required lengths of copper, lead, steel, iron, aluminium or plastic using hand or machine tools
Installs fittings such as storage tanks, cookers, baths, toilets, taps and valves, refrigerators, boilers, heat pumps, radiators and fires
Tests completed installation for leaks and makes any necessary adjustments
Attaches fittings and joins piping by welding, soldering, cementing, fusing, screwing or other methods
Repairs burst pipes and mechanical and combustion faults and replaces faulty taps, washers, valves, etc

How to become one

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 3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses. It is also the law that gas engineers to be registered with Gas Safe Register.

Ways in

Apprenticeship (England): BEMS (building energy management systems) controls engineer (level 4). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0629.
Apprenticeship (England): Dual fuel smart meter installer (level 2). England. Typically 8 months. Skills England standard ST0158.
Apprenticeship (England): Gas engineering operative (level 3). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0155.
Apprenticeship (England): Plumbing and domestic heating technician (level 3). England. Typically 48 months. Skills England standard ST0303.

Pay · Outlook

Median full-time pay: £37,881 a year The middle half earn £31,656 to £45,451.
About 148,800 people work in this job now, and about 139,700 are projected by 2035. (-6.1%)

Questions people ask

How do I become a plumber and heating and ventilating installer or repairer?

How much does a plumber and heating and ventilating installer or repairer earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £37,881 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £31,656 to £45,451.

Is a plumber and heating and ventilating installer or repairer a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 148,800 to about 139,700 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a plumber and heating and ventilating installer or repairer?

Usually not. Only 7% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: BEMS (building energy management systems) controls engineer (level 4).

Sources

Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03