Featured · For Tradespeople
The Tradesperson's Guide to Scrap Income
How UK tradespeople can turn everyday job scrap into a reliable second income, what to keep, how to sort, current prices, and what most people miss.
14 Apr 2026 · 8 min read
More articles
4 articlesFor Tradespeople
Copper Scrap for Plumbers: Grades, Prices and How to Sort
The plumber's guide to copper scrap grades, current UK prices, and how five minutes of sorting can earn you £600/tonne more.
14 Apr 2026 · 6 min read
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Cable Stripping: When It's Worth Your Time and When It Isn't
The electrician's guide to when stripping copper cable actually pays, with real breakeven numbers at current UK scrap prices.
14 Apr 2026 · 5 min read
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Lead Flashing Offcuts: The Roofer's Overlooked Payday
Lead flashing offcuts are worth £1.50–£1.80/kg and most roofers throw them in the skip. Here's what they're really worth and how to handle them properly.
14 Apr 2026 · 5 min read
FOR TRADESPEOPLE
Sell now or hold? What the Iran war means for your copper and aluminium pile
The Iran war pushed scrap copper and aluminium higher. The ceasefire is wobbling. Here's a plain-English guide to whether you should cash in this week or sit tight.
9 Apr 2026 · 6 min read
Frequently Asked Questions
How much scrap income can a tradesperson earn in a year?
A busy plumber or heating engineer typically nets £1,500–£3,500 per year from copper alone — more if brass fittings, cylinders and boilers are handled separately. Electricians pulling mains and data cable can clear similar figures once insulation is stripped. Roofers with lead flashing work regularly add four-figure annual scrap income.
Is it worth stripping the insulation off copper cable?
For most volumes, yes. Bare bright copper wire trades around 85–90% of LME copper; insulated cable is paid at 40–60% depending on grade and copper yield. A few hours with a cable stripper typically lifts 25p–£1 per kg of final weight on a full bin of cable, so anything over 20kg is usually worth stripping.
What ID do I need to take to a scrap yard?
UK law requires photo ID (driving licence or passport) plus the vehicle the scrap is being delivered in. Yards also record your full name and address against every transaction. Keep a spare copy of your driving licence in the van — yards cannot pay you without it.
Should I hold my copper stockpile or sell now?
Sell in regular, smaller lots rather than trying to time the market. A weekly or monthly drop keeps cash flow steady and avoids the temptation of holding for a spike that may not arrive. If you must hold, watch LME copper, not yard prices — yards follow LME with a 1–3 day lag.
Can I sell scrap metal as a sole trader without VAT issues?
Yes. Under the UK VAT reverse charge for metals, the buying yard accounts for VAT on your behalf, so you invoice (or are paid) net of VAT even if you are VAT-registered. Non-VAT-registered sole traders simply receive payment by BACS and record it as miscellaneous income on their self-assessment.