jobfacts

Vehicle body repairer

Vehicle body builders and repairers — SOC 2020 5232

Vehicle body builders and repairers repair and reconstruct structural and non-structural vehicle body components, including the removal, repair and refitting of mechanical, electrical and trim components, using manufacturer repair methods and technologies associated with modern vehicle construction.

Also calledPanel beaterMotor vehicle body repairerWagon makerFinisherCoach body makerCaravan engineerand 43 more titles
Typical full-time pay£35,0002025 Provisional
People in the job23,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month836↓ 12%on last year · 207th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time vehicle body repairers earn between £30,600 and £42,900 a year.

What full-time vehicle body repairers earn, 2025
£35,000 typical£25,500lowest 10%£30,60025%£42,90075%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£30,600–£42,900)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£25,500
Lowest 20% earn less than£29,400
25%£30,600
Median£35,000
75%£42,900
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £35,000
East of England!£44,600
Scotland!£39,100
Yorkshire and The Humber!£35,000
West Midlands!£34,700
South East!£33,500
South West!£33,000
North West!£31,400
East Midlands!£30,000
North EastNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £35,000
East of England£44,600 (small sample)
Scotland£39,100 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£35,000 (small sample)
West Midlands£34,700 (small sample)
South East£33,500 (small sample)
South West£33,000 (small sample)
North West£31,400 (small sample)
East Midlands£30,000 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £31,400
  • 2024 £33,600
  • 2025 Provisional£35,000
↑ 12% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 836 jobs for vehicle body repairers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (3 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026897
Jul 20261,011
Jun 2026786
May 2026829
Apr 2026822
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026877
Jan 2026893
Dec 2025417
Nov 2025862
Oct 2025914
Sept 2025891
Aug 2025971
Jul 2025Not published
Jun 2025Not published
May 20251,082
Apr 2025926
Mar 20251,018
Feb 20251,059
Jan 2025991
Dec 2024556
Nov 2024769
Oct 20241,005
Sept 20241,039
Aug 20241,116
Jul 20241,165
Jun 20241,158
May 20241,302
Apr 20241,312
Mar 20241,140
Feb 20241,157
Jan 20241,328
Dec 2023852
Nov 2023977
Oct 2023798
Sept 2023760
Aug 20231,145
Jul 20231,012
Jun 20231,299
May 20231,338
Apr 20231,082
Mar 20231,134
Feb 20231,117
Jan 20231,403
Dec 20221,293
Nov 20221,345
Oct 20221,436
Sept 20221,229
Aug 20221,400
Jul 20221,336
Jun 20221,272
May 20221,513
Apr 20221,220
Mar 20221,310
Feb 20221,182
Jan 20221,583
Dec 20211,075
Nov 20211,373
Oct 20211,361
Sept 20211,286
Aug 20211,213
Jul 20211,260
Jun 20211,066
May 20211,041
Apr 2021888
Mar 20211,120
Feb 2021776
Jan 2021739
Dec 2020525
Nov 2020621
Oct 2020871
Sept 2020783
Aug 2020619
Jul 2020633
Jun 2020615
May 2020491
Apr 2020593
Mar 2020875
Feb 20201,148
Jan 20201,124
Dec 2019867
Nov 20191,185
Oct 20191,086
Sept 2019941
Aug 20191,036
Jul 20191,074
Jun 20191,078
May 20191,265
Apr 2019962
Mar 20191,175
Feb 20191,061
Jan 20191,274
Dec 2018704
Nov 2018977
Oct 20181,121
Sept 20181,077
Aug 2018936
Jul 20181,021
Jun 20181,008
May 2018833
Apr 2018788
Mar 2018885
Feb 2018799
Jan 20181,048
Dec 2017775
Nov 2017841
Oct 2017906
Sept 2017897
Aug 2017937
Jul 2017907
Jun 2017916
May 2017974
Apr 2017940
Mar 20171,080
Feb 2017844
Jan 20171,055
Is there a shortage of vehicle body repairers?
Elevated

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was not high.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Note: uncertainty in change in hourly wage.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
44%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for vehicle trades, which includes vehicle body repairers. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London193
Manchester38
Glasgow City35
Buckinghamshire34
West Northamptonshire31
Birmingham30
Reading30
Cheshire West and Chester30
Swindon28
Nottingham27
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where vehicle body repairers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 30 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, ranking it 162nd of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of vehicle body repairers
n/p
24%!
n/p
22%!
26%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3424% (small sample)
35–44Not published
45–5422% (small sample)
55–6426% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!5.8%
Higher education below degree!4.6%
A levels or equivalent48%
GCSEs or equivalent!30%
Other qualifications!9.3%
No qualifications!9.1%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent5.8% (small sample)
Higher education below degree4.6% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent48%
GCSEs or equivalent30% (small sample)
Other qualifications9.3% (small sample)
No qualifications9.1% (small sample)

Main employers: maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (67%), manufacture of bodies (coachwork) for motor vehicles; manufacture of trailers and semi-trailers (11%), manufacture of motor vehicles (11%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
5.8%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 48%
Apprenticeships
3
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
2½ to 3½ years
typically

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could do a college course that would give you some of the skills and knowledge you'll need.

Courses include:

  • vehicle body and paint operations
  • vehicle accident repair body principles
  • T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing

You can also take broader courses in vehicle maintenance and repair.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:

  • Vehicle Damage Panel Technician
  • Vehicle Damage Paint Technician
  • Accident Repair Technician
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Apply directly

You can apply for jobs in body repair if you've got experience and a qualification in motor mechanics or vehicle paint spraying.

Registration and professional bodies

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Institute of the Motor Industry for training and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in the motor industry from the Institute of the Motor Industry.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for vehicle body repairer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

3 for this job
Level 3About 2½ years

Accident repair technician

You gain
Level 3 Award in Automotive Refrigerant Handling (EC842-2006), or another accredited…
Leads to
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI)
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • diagnoses job requirements or ascertains work specifications from drawings or instructions
  • selects, cuts, shapes and assembles materials to form parts of vehicle underframe, framework and body
  • repairs damage to chassis and engine mountings using hydraulic rams, jacks and jigs
  • hammers out dents in bodywork, fills in small depressions or corroded areas in solder, plastic or other filler compound and replaces body panels using hand and power tools
  • installs and repairs interior fittings including seats, seatbelts and fascia in cars, sinks and special features in caravans and mobile shops
  • positions, secures and repairs external fittings including windows, doors, door handles, catches and roof attachments

Skills

  • wear appropriate protective gear
  • monitor automated machines
  • apply arc welding techniques
  • apply precision metalworking techniques
  • cast metal
  • consult technical resources
  • cut metal products
  • ensure correct metal temperature
  • ensure equipment availability
  • operate oxy-fuel cutting torch
  • operate precision measuring equipment
  • operate soldering equipment
  • perform machine maintenance
  • perform test run

Knowledge

  • types of metal
  • manufacturing of heating equipment
  • metal joining technologies
  • metal smoothing technologies
  • rivet types
  • types of metal manufacturing processes
  • cutting technologies
  • metal forming technologies

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades, a group of 23 jobs that includes vehicle body repairers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 6.5%about 72,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035338,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.