Construction News

Tradespeople are ditching work in the UK and moving abroad, painter & decorator gets fined for painting over his own work and joiner sets up a Male Breast Cancer Support

War in the Middle East could increase materials prices, hikes in the minimum wage cripple small businesses and electrician offers reward for stolen tools

Tories pledge to double the number of apprentices, applications for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme drop 11% in January and scaffolder left seriously injured after fall

Landscapers are among the most stressed trade, a plumber wins the Gorton and Denton by-election, and work starts on geothermal heat network

Latest monthly figures from the BMF’s Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) show that December saw a 2.5% dip in like-for-like value sales compared to the same month in 2024

Tool theft jumps by 16% in 2025, house builders are warned about sharing information with competition and 47% of drives admit to road rage incidents

​​​​​​​The Industry Picture 2026 report states that the skills gap is structural, not temporary, and can only be overcome with widespread industry collaboration

​​​​​​​The funds raised will go to charities Dementia Adventure, T-21 Birch Tree Cafe and Mind UK

CITB stops training fund applications as it runs out of funds, report suggests transitioning older tradespeople into teaching and assessor roles and plumbing memoir published

Over three quarters of tradespeople keep tools in the vans despite the threat of tool theft, the construction workforce drops by 300,000 in ten years and plumbers head to Nepal

​​​​​​​The Apprentice of the Year winner will be announced on 16 April 2026 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham

Contractors warned about dodgy CSCS card checks, Charlie Mullins urges the youth to get a trade and avoid the AI bloodbath and tool marking events organised in March

​​​​​​​Analysis of the latest HSE data shows that the construction sector ranks among the top ten worst sectors for workplace illnesses

Carpenters are the most likely to offer a cup of tea, van drivers warned to brush up on the Highway Code and school students get hands on bricklaying experience

​​​​​​​With activity declining across most construction sectors and signs that repair and maintenance work is also slowing, many firms are facing a tough start to 2026

UK police data show that 76,907 tool thefts were reported between January 2021 and December 2025

Over 9,500 vans, worth £77m were stolen in 2025, JTL sets up Female Apprentice Network and Band of Builders needs volunteer tradespeople for its next five projects

​​​​​​​The charity has released its schedule for the next six months to enlist the help of tradespeople

​​​​​​​Almost 2.8 million working-age adults remain economically inactive due to long-term sickness

Police raid training centre in CSCS card crackdown, white collar workers switch to the trades and pensioner £60,000 better off after builders find stash of ancient coins

​​​​​​​Plumbers rank as the most hygienic trade with a 40% rating, based on daily showers, washing up, and uniform cleanliness

HBF warns that small builders can't afford apprentices, NFRC throws support behind Small Business Strategy and young bricklayer plots return after US experience

​​​​​​​The Government has recently restated the previous government's commitment to reduce the timeframe to 30 months

​​​​​​​Van drivers are being advised to follow practical steps to protect themselves behind the wheel after it's revealed that 78% of them experience negative behaviour from other road users

​​​​​​​This year’s final will take place over two days, from Friday 31 July to Saturday 1 August 2026, at the Hertfordshire County Showground in Redbourn

Construction apprenticeships grow by 1.2% in 2024/25, van drivers are regularly abused by other road users and construction material prices double over the last 20 years

CITB, NCC, Bridgend College and NFRC are collaborating on the delivery of the new apprenticeship to help meet gaps in training provision and address the construction skills gap

Painter and decorator to the royals takes his own life, construction output grows by 1.8% in 2025, and heat pumps sales increase last year, but growth rate slows

The partnership aims to encourage open conversations around mental health and suicide prevention and build a safer workplace

​​​​​​​Upcoming plans include a Skills Summit convening policymakers and leaders to address skills and workforce challenges

​​​​​​​Demand for skilled electricians is high and apprenticeships remain one of the most effective ways to develop talent