SOC 2020 · 5315
Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers
Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations from
Skilled Worker
Shortage list only
Below the usual skill level, but listed.
Salary floor
£41,700
The general threshold, £41,700, is the higher of the two.
Shortage lists
Temporary Shortage List
Listed roles carry their own restrictions — check GOV.UK.
Shortage list conditions
Temporary Shortage List: all jobs in this code. Certificate of sponsorship must be issued before 31 Dec 2026.
Shortage-list jobs are below the usual skill level, so employers face restrictions such as no dependants and no salary discount. Check GOV.UK for the current conditions.
Salary the job must pay
A Skilled Worker job must pay at least the higher of the general threshold and the going rate for its occupation code.
Going rate (standard)
£38,100
General threshold
£41,700
Visa thresholds from
Minimum for this role
£41,700
Home Office going rates from
New entrants and some other cases can use 70% of the going rate, £33,400, subject to the lower general threshold of £33,400.
What this occupation actually pays
ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, full-time gross annual pay.
- UK pay for this occupation
- Going rate£38,100
- General threshold£41,700
View these figures as a table
| Percentile | Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | £24,916 |
| 25th | £31,656 |
| 50th | £37,881 |
| 75th | £45,451 |
| Going rate | £38,100 |
| General threshold | £41,700 |
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | £24,916 | £31,656 | £37,881 | £45,451 | — |
| East 2025 | — | — | £37,241 | — | — |
| East Midlands 2025 | — | — | £38,322 | — | — |
| London 2025 | — | — | £44,558 | — | — |
| North West 2025 | — | — |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
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.
Typical 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
Entry routes and qualifications
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.