How Much Money Do Florists Make in the UK?
Florists make a living selling bouquets and arrangements to customers. They may also create bespoke floral designs for weddings and funerals.
The florist industry is a vibrant and growing sector with over 7,700 shops in the UK. They employ around 30,000 people.
Some flower arrangers earn a full-time salary whilst others choose to run their own businesses as independent florists. Depending on your skill set and passion, this could be a lucrative and rewarding career path to follow.
You’ll need a great eye for colour and shape, as well as a keen understanding of how flowers can be arranged to complement each other and make your shop stand out from the rest. The best place to start is by gaining experience and taking courses in the field.
If you’re unsure whether it’s for you, you could try getting some work experience as an apprentice to see how the job fits in with your personal goals and ambitions. This could be an ideal way to get started on your floral journey, as it will help you learn the ropes before you make the leap into a full-time position.
Once you’re working full time as a florist, you need to ensure that your business is compliant with employment law. This includes things like fair pay and redundancy. Getting the right training and ensuring you have a good understanding of your local employment legislation will give you a better chance of being protected should anything go wrong in the future.
You should also be aware of the cost of flowers – and be able to calculate a good profit margin when you’re buying them and putting together your floral displays. Ideally, you should plan to make a 70% profit on your costs of flowers and supplies.
There are plenty of options to learn how to be a florist, with a wide variety of courses and qualifications available across the UK. Many local education authorities offer basic flower arranging courses that are taught as night classes, while specialist horticultural or agriculture colleges and flower arrangement societies will provide longer courses to develop your skills and knowledge.
Alternatively, you can do an NVQ in floristry, which will give you the skills to take on a job as a qualified florist. Or, if you want to learn the ropes from the inside out, there are a number of floristry apprenticeships in the UK that can be a great way to gain experience and build your confidence before you look for your first job as a flower designer.
It’s worth noting that while you can start off making a decent income on your own, it can be difficult to get a consistent flow of work and build up a client base. You need to be committed and driven, and be ready to put in the hard work to get your flower business off the ground.
Whether you’re looking to build up your own business or start a career in the floral industry, we hope that our guide will transform any hesitancy into a desire to succeed. We’ll show you how to find your niche in the industry, and give you the tips and advice you need to create a successful flower business.
