Construction labourer jobs in the UK: the green card, the pay and how to start
Labouring is the quickest way onto a UK building site: you don't need a trade, but almost every site wants a green CSCS Labourer card. That's a one-day health and safety course, a 45-minute test and £36. Labourers earn roughly £130–£160 a day (London usually more). Here's the route and the labouring jobs open now.
Rates: indicative 2026 ranges from published UK price guides — see day rates 2026. CIS: gov.uk.
Open jobs for labourers right now
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How to start as a labourer on UK sites
Do the Level 1 Award in Health & Safety
A short course (usually one day) with an approved provider. It's the qualification the green card is built on.
Pass the CITB Operatives test
50 questions in 45 minutes, pass mark 90%. Practise first — our free mock test is in 7 languages.
Apply for the green Labourer card
£36 on cscs.uk.com. Your first green card lasts 2 years; renewed cards last 5.
Apply for jobs and get on the crew list
Apply below in 30 seconds, no CV upload — and join the crew list so firms that need labourers text you.
What firms look for in a labourer
A card in date
Green CSCS Labourer card — a photo on your phone saves time at induction.
Reliability
Same time, every day. Good labourers get asked back and move to better-paid site work.
Your own PPE
Safety boots, hi-vis, gloves, hard hat, glasses. Some firms provide part of it — ask.
Fit for physical work
Loading out, carrying materials, site cleaning, helping trades. Say if you also drive, use a dumper or have tickets.
Real firms don't charge for jobs, and cards bought outside cscs.uk.com are fake: sites check them on the CSCS app. Ads on Graftum that ask workers to pay are removed.
What you actually take home
Example: at £140 a day, a 5-day week is £700. As a self-employed subcontractor registered for CIS, the firm takes 20% (£140) and pays you £560. 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
How do I get a CSCS card as a labourer?
Three steps: the Level 1 Award in Health & Safety in a Construction Environment, the CITB HS&E Operatives test, then apply for the green Labourer card (£36).
How long does the green CSCS card last?
A first green Labourer card lasts 2 years; once renewed, 5 years. You can renew from 6 months before it expires.
Can I work on a site without a CSCS card?
Some small jobs don't ask, but most commercial sites won't let you start without one. Getting it takes days, not months.
How much does a construction labourer earn per day?
Published 2026 guides put labourers at roughly £130–£160 a day across the UK, with London usually 15–25% higher. Skilled labourers and groundworkers earn more.
How do I apply for labouring 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.
