Footwear and leather working trades Pay Data UK — 2025

Footwear and leather working trades roles in the UK earn a median of £27,086 per year, equivalent to £14.40 per hour as of 2025. This represents a 12.7% decrease in annual pay compared to the previous year. Pay varies across the UK, ranging from £23,198 to £40,587 per year.

How Pay Varies Across the UK

Each bar shows how many areas of the UK have a median annual pay in that range for Footwear and leather working trades roles. The dashed line marks the national median.

Based on sub-regional area data. Want a precise figure for your area?

About Footwear and leather working trades

Footwear and leather working trades make and repair shoes, cut out, make up, sew, decorate and finish leather and leather substitute goods other than garments.

Typical Tasks and Duties

• uses hand tools or machine to cut out, trim, punch holes in or stitch guide lines on leather or leather substitute component parts
• positions leather and rubber footwear component parts on lasts and shapes and joins uppers to insoles and soles
• uses hand tools or machine to make up and repair saddles, harnesses, belts, straps and other leather products
• uses hand and machine tools to sew and stitch leather and/or other material in the making and decoration of footwear and leather goods other than garments
• prepares paper or paperboard master patterns of component parts of footwear
• waxes, cleans and finishes footwear and other leather goods

Entry Routes and Qualifications

There are no formal academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is mainly on?the-job. NVQs/SVQs are available in some areas.

Related Occupations

Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.