Pay across the construction sector is rising sharply due to labour shortages caused by Brexit, according to the latest figures.

Average salaries across the industry jumped by nine per cent to £45,900 in the year to May, as employers struggled to fill posts on construction sites across the country, a study by specialist recruiter Randstad Construction, Property & Engineering (RCPE) said.

The study found that construction workers from overseas were reluctant to seek work in the UK, while a third of European workers were considering leaving the country due to Brexit, as reported by Building.

The reduced availability of EU workers is now driving up wages across the sector. This is a particular concern in London, where nearly one in three people working in construction were born in the EU.

Demand for workers in London is so high that the average construction salary is £53,400, an incredible 16 per cent higher than the rest of the country.

Nationwide, senior project managers have seen salaries rise seven per cent to £80,800, while average pay in project management has increased by eight per cent to £64,200.

The biggest jump in salary over the past 12 months was for site engineers, who can expect average salaries of £44,300, up 19 per cent on the previous year.

RCPE is calling on the government to consider who will build much-needed new homes and infrastructure without EU workers in the construction industry.

While the government has promised construction firms that EU workers would be able to come to the UK following a no-deal Brexit, it has said it will still be consulting on permanent changes to the border regime after a transition period ends in 2021.