Tailors and dressmakers: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 5413 · Skilled trades occupations

Tailors and dressmakers

Tailors and dressmakers prepare patterns and make, fit and alter tailored garments, dresses and other articles of clothing.

How people enter it

There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. A variety of relevant vocational courses, including apprenticeships in some areas, are available leading to qualifications up to level 3.

What the work involves

takes customer’s measurements and discusses required style and material
prepares individual or adapts stock pattern
examines fabrics or skins for flaws and prepares materials for cutting
arranges pattern on correct grain of fabric, marks position and cuts out garment parts with hand shears, electric knife or cutting machine
pins/tacks and fits garment on customer or dummy model and makes any necessary alterations
sews garment parts together by hand or machine, makes buttonholes and sews on fasteners and trimmings
shapes garment by pressing seams, pleats, etc.
makes alterations to finished garments according to customer’s requirements

Also called

Costume maker · Cutter (hosiery, knitwear mfr) · Dressmaker · Pattern Cutter · Tailor · Tailoress

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	10,600.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	10,800.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	11,700.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	12,000.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	1,700.00	2026-03
East Midlands	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	1,100.00	2026-03
London	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	2,600.00	2026-03
North East	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	withheld	2026-03
North West	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	1,300.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	withheld	2026-03
Scotland	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	900.00	2026-03
South East	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	1,700.00	2026-03
South West	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	800.00	2026-03
Wales	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	withheld	2026-03
West Midlands	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	1,100.00	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	5413 : Tailors and dressmakers	None	withheld	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for tailors and dressmakers vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 8 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Footwear and leather working trades · Textiles, garments and related trades n.e.c. · Upholsterers