The route, drawn out
DWG A41E · 5 stops · 2 years to qualify-
Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
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Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
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2 years Fully qualified around £28k
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+3–5 years Experienced up to £45k
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Then Your own business you set the rate
The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.
What the job is
There are only a few hundred working thatchers in Britain, and around 60,000 thatched buildings that need them. Roofs last 20 to 40 years, so the work is continuous, and most thatchers are booked months ahead.
You learn to work in long straw, combed wheat reed and water reed, each with its own regional style, plus ridging, spar making and the fixings that hold it all down. It is outdoor, physical, weather-dependent craft work that is almost entirely self-employed once qualified.
A typical day
- Strip and assess existing thatch and the roof timbers beneath
- Prepare and lay straw or reed to the correct coat thickness
- Dress the work tight with a leggett and fix with spars and liggers
- Form ridges, gables and decorative detailing
- Fit and maintain wire netting and fire protection
How you get in
- No formal qualifications required — you need a master thatcher willing to train you
- Comfortable working at height in all weathers
- Patience: it takes years before your work looks right
- A driving licence and eventually your own transport and materials
Where it leads
- Master thatcher running your own business
- Specialise in listed and historic buildings
- Regional style specialisms — long straw, combed wheat, water reed
- Training the next apprentices, of whom there are far too few
Where to train for this
5 colleges and training providers on our list cover Thatcher training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.