Bricklayer jobs in the UK and London: the card, the pay and price work
Most UK sites want a bricklayer to hold a blue CSCS Skilled Worker card, which needs an NVQ Level 2. Bricklayers earn roughly £180–£280 a day (London usually more), and a lot of brickwork is paid as price work — per thousand bricks or per m². Here's what firms check and the bricklaying jobs open now.
Rates: indicative 2026 ranges from published UK price guides — see day rates 2026. CIS: gov.uk.
Open jobs for bricklayers right now
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How to get hired as a bricklayer in the UK
Get the right CSCS card
NVQ Level 2 in bricklaying gives you the blue Skilled Worker card; Level 3 the gold Advanced Craft card. No NVQ yet? There are red-card routes for trainees and experienced workers — see every CSCS card explained.
Experienced but no paperwork?
Training providers offer the NVQ through on-site assessment of your real work — often the fastest route for bricklayers who trained abroad.
Day rate or price work — agree it in writing
Price work pays per thousand bricks or per m². It rewards fast, clean work, but agree how it's measured and when it's paid before you start.
Apply — and get on the crew list
Apply to the jobs below in 30 seconds, no CV upload. Gangs can apply too — say how many of you there are.
What firms check before they hire a bricklayer
Your CSCS card
Blue or gold, in date, with bricklayer on it.
Quality and speed
Facework, blockwork, setting out — say what you've done and roughly how much you lay in a day.
Your own tools
Trowels, levels, line and pins, jointers. Mixers and scaffolding are usually the firm's.
A labourer or a gang
Many firms hire a bricklayer with a labourer (a “2 and 1”) — say if you come as a team.
What you actually take home
Example: at £220 a day, a 5-day week is £1,100. As a self-employed subcontractor registered for CIS, the firm takes 20% (£220) and pays you £880. If you're not registered for CIS, they take 30%.
That 20% is an advance on your tax and National Insurance, not a fee. After the tax year ends (5 April) many workers get part of it back — more if they keep receipts for tools, PPE and travel. See the CIS refund guide and what you can claim.
Before your first CIS payment you need a UTR number and to register with HMRC as self-employed — how to get a UTR.
Put yourself on the crew list: 1 minute, free, no account. Firms looking for your trade text you directly.
Join the crew list →Common questions
Which CSCS card does a bricklayer need?
The blue Skilled Worker card with an NVQ Level 2 in bricklaying is the usual one; Level 3 gives the gold Advanced Craft card. Trainees and experienced workers without the NVQ use temporary red cards.
What is price work in bricklaying?
Being paid per thousand bricks (or per m² of blockwork) instead of per day. Agree the rate, how it's measured and when it's paid in writing before you start.
How much does a bricklayer earn per day in London?
Published 2026 guides put bricklayers at roughly £180–£280 a day across the UK, with London usually 15–25% higher. Fast bricklayers on price work can earn more.
Can I get an NVQ if I learned bricklaying abroad?
Yes — many training providers assess experienced bricklayers on site and award the NVQ without a full course.
How do I apply for bricklaying jobs on Graftum?
Open a job and press Apply — about 30 seconds, no account, no CV upload. The firm gets your name and number and calls you.
