Gas Engineer Salary

Gas engineer salaries are among the most lucrative trade earnings in the UK.

Responsible for the safe operation, installation, and maintenance of gas appliances, gas engineers make sure that commercial and residential gas systems run efficiently and safely.

In 2023, 23 million UK homes were powered by a gas boiler. It’s easy to see why gas engineers are in high demand - and, what’s more, the UK Trade Skills Index reports that 23,000 new gas engineers will be needed by 2028 to meet ever-growing demand.

This guide will explain everything you need to know about gas engineer wages, including self-employed gas engineer salaries and hourly rates, and what factors can impact your earning potential.

Let’s get started!

Average Salary of a Gas Engineer in the UK

How Much Does a Gas Engineer Earn?

Let’s take a closer look at the rates of gas engineer pay in the UK:

All figures are estimates, based on a 40-hour week, pre-tax.

The starting salary for a newly-qualified gas engineer is around £25,000 per year (pre-tax). Once you have a few years of experience in the industry, your salary can rise to £45,000 per year (pre-tax).

Gas engineer hourly rates vary depending on your seniority level, with those operating as sole traders or as limited company business owners earning more than gas engineers employed by a company.

Similarly, the highest gas engineer salaries are held by sole traders and limited company business owners, who can earn in excess of £70,000 per year (pre-tax).

However, operating your own business will mean that business expenses and running costs will need to be deducted from these net figures before the actual take-home salary is calculated.

It’s common to see higher salaries if you’re based in London or the surrounding south-east areas due to the premium cost of living.

When London gas engineer salaries are compared to gas engineer salaries in the north of the UK, there is often a disparity of around £10,000 per year.

Salary Differences: Employed vs. Self-Employed Gas Engineers

Let’s take a closer look at self-employed gas engineer salaries compared to employed gas engineers.

• The average self-employed gas engineer wage in the UK is £60,000+ per year (pre-tax).
• An experienced employed gas engineer will earn around £45,000 per year (pre-tax).
• Self-employed gas engineers and limited business owners will need to pay between £8,000 and £12,000 per year in business expenses, which will be deducted from their net annual salary.

The bottom line? Self-employed gas engineers can earn more than employed gas engineers.

But, there are nuances to be aware of:

• Self-employed gas engineers are responsible for finding their own clients, so while they can earn more, it’s limited by market volatility (e.g. if there’s a slow period in the year with little to no clients, there’s no contingency for it).
• Sole traders will need to take care of business running costs, from insurance to tool purchase and upkeep, as well as any marketing spend, all of which gets taken from your net income. This is typically between £8,000 and £12,000 per year.
• Working for yourself means there are no paid holidays or sick leave allowance - if you need to take time off, you won’t get paid for it, and you may lose clients.

To give you a better idea, here’s a breakdown of all the responsibilities between self-employed gas engineers and employed gas engineers:

So, while it is possible to earn more as a sole trader, there are added responsibilities to be aware of.

Depending on your long-term career goals, it can be beneficial to follow a regular employment route when you’re first starting to get experience and connections in the engineering field.

Once you’ve built up your expertise and are sound in your craft, you can then look to become self-employed to boost your earning potential.

However, it’s important to note that self-employed gas engineer rates vary depending on your geographical location, which we’ll get into next.

Regional Variations in Salary

Now, let’s look at the regional variations in gas engineer pay so you can see what salaries are like in your area:

All figures are estimates from Indeed.com based on a 40-hour week, pre-tax.

Gas engineer wages in London and the south-east are among the highest-paying roles in the UK. Experienced gas engineers in north and east London can earn around £50,000 per year (pre-tax), while west London gas engineers' pay is slightly lower at £44,750 per year (pre-tax).

Moving around the UK, gas engineers in Birmingham in the Midlands can earn around £43,000 per year (pre-tax).

In Wales, gas engineer salaries are slightly lower at £41,500 per year (pre-tax). The more rural the area, the lower the wage, with gas engineers in Powys averaging £37,750 per year (pre-tax).

Experienced gas engineers in Edinburgh can earn around £39,500 per year (pre-tax).

So, why is there a difference in average gas engineer salaries depending on the location?

The main reasons are:

• Higher Cost of Living - Those living in London and the surrounding areas have a higher cost of living, which means that the same role can have a higher salary in London compared to a rural town in Wales, because the London engineer needs a higher wage to afford to live in London.
• Regional Demand Differences - Highly populated areas will need more gas engineer services than rural, remote locations. Some rural locations may even be off-grid as they can’t get a gas connection, meaning there’s little to no demand in these areas.
• Competition and Specialisms - In densely populated areas, there will be more gas engineers available, meaning there’s a higher rate of competition for the volume of work. Large cities will need large numbers of engineers to complete their work, and if they’re specialised in complex fields, this can lead to higher rates of pay.

Factors Influencing Salary

Now that we know location plays a big part in determining gas engineer salary, let’s uncover some other factors that influence gas engineer pay that you can use to boost your earnings.

Qualifications and Registrations

It’s a legal requirement to be listed on the Gas Safe Register if you plan to work on gas appliances and systems in the UK.

To get on the Gas Safe Register, you’ll need to prove you have relevant qualifications and evidence of gas competency. Training can include:

• College Courses - Level 2 or 3 Diplomas in Plumbing and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) courses, T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction
• Apprenticeships - Level 3 Gas Engineering Operative Advanced Apprenticeship
• Gas Industry Qualification - Level 3 Diploma in Gas Utilisation: Installation and Maintenance

Once training is complete, you’ll need to pass the ACS assessments (Accredited Certification Scheme) before you can register and legally work with gas in the UK.

Experience

The more experience you have, the higher your gas engineer wage can be.

Apprentice gas engineers earn between £14,000 and £20,000 per year (pre-tax), while experienced gas engineers can earn upwards of £45,000 per year (pre-tax).

This is because more experience means you can complete jobs at a faster, more efficient rate, while having more trust from customers due to your years in the industry.

Specialisms

After operating as an employed gas engineer for some time, you can choose to specialise to boost your earnings.

Specialisms can include working with LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or transitioning into the renewables and hybrid heating realm, including heat pump installations, which is seeing a boost in interest in the UK.

Emergency Call-Outs

Not every gas engineer in the UK will offer 24/7 emergency call-outs - and that’s why it’s a lucrative string to add to your bow if you’re willing to work unsociable hours.

Out-of-hours gas engineer pay can be 1.5 to 3 times the normal 9-to-5 rates.

Customer Reputation

If you’re working as a self-employed gas engineer, customer reputation is important.

Opinions on your work can travel fast by word-of-mouth, so if you’re consistently doing a good job to a high standard, you can expect your work to speak for itself to widen your customer base.

Opportunities for Career Progression

Next, we’ll delve into routes for career progression in the gas engineer field.

Becoming a Self-Employed Gas Engineer

If working for yourself appeals to you, you can earn more as a gas engineer if you choose to become self-employed.

This can broaden your horizons as a gas engineer and let you work flexibly to your own schedule, while setting your own rates of pay.

Upskilling and Looking into Related Trades

Once you’re qualified as a gas engineer, your training doesn’t stop there - you can continue to upskill and learn as you work to boost your earnings.

Moving into related trades can also impact your pay. With a push for energy efficiency and green technology, it’s worthwhile investing in training in the renewable energy sector to broaden your skills.

For example, HVAC is a great area to move into, as there’s always going to be a need for air conditioning systems in commercial buildings. There’s a growing need for it in domestic properties, too, broadening your earnings and potential customer base.

Moving into Training Roles

If your time on the road as a gas engineer is up, you can move into adjacent roles in training and education.

These positions commonly offer stable incomes, so if you’re moving out of the sole trader business and want something more predictable in terms of income (and with less travel), looking into diversifying into a training position can be a good idea.

How to Increase Your Earnings as a Gas Engineer

There are plenty of ways to boost your earnings as a gas engineer in the UK.

Here are our top suggestions:

• Gaining Extra Certifications and Specialising - One of the best ways to earn more as a gas engineer is to upskill. Whether it’s HVAC, LPG, heat pumps or smart home heating systems, these extra skills will all help to increase your appeal as a gas engineer and earn you more customers.
• Offering Emergency Call-Outs - Want to earn 1.5 to 3 times more for regular gas jobs? Offering emergency 24/7 call-out services can do just that - if you’re willing to work unsociable hours.
• Maintaining a Consistent, Reliable Working Attitude - This is especially important if you’re operating as a self-employed gas engineer, as your reputation has the potential to win (and lose) you clients.

FAQs

How much do gas engineers earn in the UK?

The average gas engineer salary in the UK is between £25,000 and £45,000, depending on your level of experience.

Do gas engineers make good money?

Gas engineer wages in the UK are above the national average salary of ~£30,000. Self-employed gas engineer salaries can potentially reach £65,000 per year and above, depending on experience and specialisms.

Can a gas engineer be self-employed?

Becoming a self-employed gas engineer is a lucrative move for experienced engineers. You’ll need to make sure you’ve got the correct insurance to operate safely in the industry (Public Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance), as well as Employers’ Liability Insurance if you’re planning on hiring additional gas engineers to work for you.

What qualifications do you need to become a gas engineer?

There are various ways into the gas engineer industry, but the most common routes are to obtain the following qualifications, then apply to the Gas Safe Register:

• College Courses - Such as those in plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or a T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction
• Apprenticeships - Such as a Level 3 Gas Engineering Operative Advanced Apprenticeship
• Gas Industry Qualification - Level 3 Diploma in Gas Utilisation: Installation and Maintenance