by Clair Mooney | 4 Nov, 2025 | Main News Feed, Member Benefits, Membership
FIS is continually reviewing its service offering and has recently updated its Contract Review Service to better meet the needs of members.
We know that too often contractors are faced with heavily-amended contracts with significant risk transfer. This service offers members a subsidised expert review of contracts, schedules of amendments, collateral warranties and bonds to ensure they are aware of what they are signing up to.
Key features of the service include:
- The option of a QS-led or Lawyer-led review service
- A subsidised fee structure to make the service more accessible for specialist contractors. Prices start from £300 for quantity-surveyor-led reviews, and from £450 for lawyer-led reviews (with fees tiered by contract size).
- Early-stage contract review: designed to be used before work commences, to identify problematic clauses in advance rather than reactively
- Additional support options including virtual meetings and bid-stage review where appropriate.
Our research with Reading University identified that specialist contractors often find themselves under significant pressure to sign amended forms of contracts. The aim of the Contract Review Service is to help specialist contractors and their supply-chains identify onerous contract conditions before work commences and support fairer risk allocation.
Commenting on the service, FIS Chief Executive Iain McIlwee said:
“The Contract Review Service has been an unmitigated success with feedback from members who have used it encouraging. We appreciate how hard a Responsible No can be, but when it is backed by expert advice, negotiation is possible.
“As well as supporting individual members directly, the service has also been instrumental in helping FIS to support our ongoing representation work, exposing and challenging the worst of behaviours and in developing resources for our Contractual and Legal Toolkit. Further e-learning is planned for 2026 to help all members to benefit from the lessons learned.
“With two years of reviews under our belt it felt appropriate to revisit how we deliver the service and under this umbrella to extend the range of services available to members through the amazing panel of expert advisors. The service now covers tender support, direct negotiation and bid support and unlike most things, the basic subsidised rate has reduced further to ensure that it is as accessible as possible to our members!”
You can find out more about the Contract Review Service here. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate in contacting the FIS team on 0121 707 0077.
by Clair Mooney | 28 Oct, 2025 | Main News Feed
The Construction Products Association’s Autumn Forecasts reveal that growth expectations for construction output have been revised substantially down amid growing risks and uncertainty surrounding the government’s impending tax rises in the Autumn Budget and their impact on the wider UK economy. Total construction output is now only forecast to grow by 1.1% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2026, which is a significant revision down from the 1.9% in 2025 and 3.7% in 2026 in the previous forecast.
Firms from across the construction supply chain are reporting that activity has slowed since the Spring, particularly in private housing, infrastructure roads, and commercial new build offices. Confidence among homebuyers, homeowners, and investors is weak; this has been exacerbated by uncertainty over the upcoming Autumn Budget and who will bear the brunt of the inevitable tax increases and potential spending cuts. The CPA has taken account of the pre-Budget uncertainty in its latest forecasts but, like all economic forecasters, will not be able to take account of the tax rises and spending cuts until they are confirmed on
26 November.
In private housing, which is the largest sector of construction, output is forecast to rise by 2.0% in 2025 and 4.0% in 2026, a revision down from the previous forecast of 4.0% in 2025 and 7.0% in 2026. After large falls in demand between 2022 and 2024, house builders continue to highlight that demand and affordability remain the biggest challenges in areas of the country where house prices are higher, even as interest and mortgage rates have fallen. Conversely, in parts of the country in which house prices are more affordable, site viability is a key problem due to the long list of additional costs that government continues to add to house building. In addition, high-rise developers continue to suffer from delays at Gateways 2 and 3, both for new build and changes in use from commercial developments to residential flats.
In private housing repair, maintenance and improvement (rm&i), despite sustained real wage growth, many households have continued to save rather than spend given the scarring effects of the ‘cost of living’ crisis. A sustained recovery in private housing rm&i will only occur when homeowners felt confident enough to commit to large, discretionary spending such as home extensions and renovations. This is unlikely to be before the Autumn Budget, given uncertainty over whether households will face tax increases, which suggests a recovery from Spring 2026 at the earliest. Furthermore, this would be delayed further if Budget tax rises affect homeowners. Some energy-efficiency retrofits, such as heat pumps and solar photovoltaics, subsidised by government, and essential fire safety remediation work, continue to be relatively strong small niches within the sector but overall, private housing rm&i output is expected to now remain flat in 2025 and only rise by 2.0% in 2026. Furthermore, risks to the sector remain on the downside.
In infrastructure, output is expected to rise by 1.9% in 2025 and 4.4% in 2026. However, there is a large variation in fortunes across the sector. Water & sewerage, as well as energy generation and distribution, are set to become key drivers of growth next year as activity ramps up under record investment plans. In contrast, road spending is expected to decline over the next few years as the next Road Investment Strategy (RIS) is not only delayed but headline funding has been cut compared to the previous RIS2. In rail, there are rising concerns regarding whether the government’s HS2 ‘reset’ may lead to delays going forward, whilst question marks continue over when major projects such as Euston station will commence given the intention for it to be privately financed.
Commenting on the Spring Forecasts, CPA Head of Construction Research, Rebecca Larkin, said:
“The pickup in construction activity that had been expected at the start of the year has not materialised as uncertainty continues to hold back house purchases, home improvements spending and private sector investment decisions. The risks and uncertainties around the impact of impending tax rises in the Autumn Budget in November have only intensified and this is likely to leave households and businesses holding off spending and investment for longer, and limit demand in the largest construction sectors.
“The effects of pre-Budget uncertainty are being felt now but the impact of the Budget tax rises will be felt most strongly as we head into 2026. Currently, the forecast is for 2.8% growth in construction output next year, primarily driven by public sector construction, infrastructure and house building. However, the extent of the government’s tax rises and spending cuts, and who bears the brunt of them, will heavily determine whether 2026 is a year of growth or contraction for the industry.”
by Clair Mooney | 27 Oct, 2025 | Main News Feed
FIS CEO Iain McIlwee has spoken openly to the BBC about millions of pounds being owed to companies following the collapse of ISG last year.
The investigation by the BBC follows the failing of Project Bank Accounts which the MOJ said were being used on projects to upgrade three prisons in England.
At least 40 companies are believed to be owed the money for work they carried out in Birmingham, Liverpool and Dorset, and claim they should have been protected because the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) promised to pay for the projects through ring-fenced Project Bank Accounts (PBAs).
Project Bank Accounts were designed to safeguard smaller suppliers by holding payments in dedicated accounts that can only be used to pay them. Money paid into PBAs should be handed out to suppliers almost automatically. However, administrators EY-Parthenon insisted that when appointed the accounts had “nominal funds” in them, meaning the money was probably never paid in by the MoJ, with FIS CEO Iain McIlwee, describing the situation as a “mystery”.
Iain added:
“This is having a huge impact on small business owners, with some facing bankruptcy themselves and others struggling with significant mental stress and heartache.
“They are fighting to get back what they should have been paid 12 months ago. Companies are people and these are people in trouble that need the support of our government.”
FIS is supporting some of the businesses that are owed money by co-coordinating legal action alongside law firm Hill Dickinson.
Sarah Emerson, partner at Hill Dickinson, said they were engaged in pre-action correspondence with the MoJ on behalf of seven firms who worked on the projects. She said that her clients were small companies who felt let down and could not understand what had happened to the money they were owed.
“They were told this was a positive thing because [PBAs] would protect them from an insolvency event,” she said.
“They are set up as a trust mechanism which means funds are ring-fenced. This means money in those Project Bank Accounts legally belongs to those that are due to be paid.”
Sarah Emerson said her firm could take the MoJ to court over the dispute
You can read the full article on the BBC website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gwz8gg6plo
Further coverage is also available on the following channels:
by Clair Mooney | 24 Oct, 2025 | Main News Feed
In response to the Government’s consultation on tackling late payment and retention in the construction sector, FIS has submitted its formal response on the package of proposed legislative measures to address late, long and disputed business to business payments.
A copy of our collective response is available here.
Commenting on the response, FIS CEO, Iain McIlwee stated:
“For decades, FIS has fought tirelessly to expose and dismantle the broken payment and retention practices that plague the construction sector. Drawing on powerful evidence from the Reading Report and direct member testimony, FIS response paints a stark picture: specialist contractors are routinely forced to finance projects upfront, endure months without payment, confronted by routine undervaluation and weaponisation of cash flow issues and suffer devastating losses when retention monies vanish due to insolvency. The current system is adversarial, opaque, and punishes the very businesses that build our spaces. It undermines investment and impairs modernissation.
FIS supports bold reform—mandatory 60-day payment terms, statutory interest on late payments, and the abolition or protection of retention funds.
The message is clear: enough is enough. Reform is not optional—it is essential to protect livelihoods, restore trust, and unlock the full potential of UK construction.”
The consultation acknowledged that late payment costs the UK economy almost £11 billion per year and closes down 38 UK businesses every day. The proposed package of measures are claimed to be the most significant attempt to address late, long and disputed business to business (B2B) payments in over 25 years. They aim to improve cash flow through supply chains and support small businesses with payment disputes. There are also specific proposals referring to the use of retention clauses within construction contracts.
The consultation outcome will be published within 12 weeks of the close of the consultation, or an explanation will be published if this is not possible.
by Clair Mooney | 24 Oct, 2025 | Contractual and Legal, Main News Feed
FIS has proudly become the first trade association in the UK to be awarded Gold Status by the Conflict Avoidance Coalition (CAC), marking a significant milestone in the organisation’s journey in encouraging a more collaborative and responsible approach to contracting.
The Gold Status recognises FIS’s outstanding commitment to promoting early intervention, fairer contractual practices, and the adoption of the Conflict Avoidance Pledge across its membership and wider industry networks. This accolade reflects years of proactive leadership, advocacy, and practical support for dispute avoidance mechanisms that reduce the financial and emotional toll of adversarial conflict in construction.
Iain McIlwee, Chief Executive of FIS, commented:
“This recognition is not just a badge—it’s a reflection of our values and the culture we are building across the finishes and interiors sector. Conflict avoidance is about protecting relationships, improving project outcomes, and ultimately driving profitability by reducing unnecessary legal costs. Our Responsible No campaign is all about leading by example and through this we will continue to champion collaborative working and early resolution.”
The Conflict Avoidance Coalition, supported by leading industry bodies including RICS, ICE, and CIArb, aims to transform the way disputes are managed in construction and engineering. By awarding Gold Status, the Coalition acknowledges FIS’s role in embedding the principles of the Conflict Avoidance Process (CAP) and encouraging widespread adoption of the Conflict Avoidance Clause in contracts.
Len Bunton, President of the Conflict Avoidance Coalition added:
“It is very encouraging to see that FIS has been awarded Gold Status Partner by the Conflict Avoidance Coalition. I have been working with Iain McIlwee the CEO of FIS, for a number of years, on various matters and FIS has grasped the nettle in embedding CAP into its philosophes and in encouraging so many member companies to sign the Pledge. We now need other trade organisations to join this campaign of collaboration and Best Practice to prevent issues on projects escalating into costly and time-consuming construction disputes”.
FIS continues to work closely with its members, offering simplified contracts, contract reviews, guidance, training, and resources to support the implementation of conflict avoidance strategies. This includes promoting the use of standardised contracts, early intervention techniques, and opportunities to work in a clearer and more collaborative way throughout the supply chain.
For more information about FIS and its work with the Conflict Avoidance Coalition, visit www.thefis.org/no
by Clair Mooney | 23 Oct, 2025 | Skills
FIS has continued the expansion of its e-learning offering with the introduction of three new training courses. Tailored to meet the evolving needs of those working in the sector industry, these courses are a valuable resource for those working in the sector to enhance their skills and knowledge.
These development of these new courses reflect FIS’s commitment to fostering professional growth and supporting the continuous development of its members and the wider community.
Estimating
The first course is Estimating training which has been developed to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of the contractual and commercial factors that influence the estimating process within the interiors sector. Whether you’re new to the industry or transitioning into an estimating role, this course will equip you with the essential knowledge needed to support accurate, compliant, and commercially sound estimates.
https://www.thefis.org/skills-hub/training-offers-for-members/fis-training-modules/estimating-training-module/
Specifying Partitioning
The second course focuses on Specifying Partitioning and has been created to highlight and guide learners through some of the key criteria that should be considered when writing a specification for partitions. The course is aimed at Architects, Designers, Acousticians, Specialist partitioning companies, Building managers/end users and all others associated with partitioning specification.
https://www.thefis.org/skills-hub/training-offers-for-members/fis-training-modules/specifying-partitioning/
Drylining Inspection Methods
Our third course is part of our wider campaign to help drive out improper snagging practices of plaster finishes which often results in contractors suffering from delayed and incomplete payments. This course is aimed to educate those carrying out inspections on best practice and the use of correct lighting and range when doing so. It follows current guidance within BS EN 13914-2 which recommends that a plaster finish should be viewed with natural light from either the centre of the room or a two-metre minimum distance.
All courses are freely available to FIS members, and CPD certificates will be issued on completion.
Speaking on the launch of these courses at the AGM on 16 October, FIS President Ian Strangward said:
“FIS is focussed on building skills and competence and key to this is the development of e-learning to support our members and the wider community. Since we launched our e-learning platform in 2024 we have developed seven new courses. The bank of knowledge which FIS has built is impressive, and the transition of this content into e-learning puts guidance into people’s heads. Hundreds of people have accessed our courses so far and we will continue to develop more courses targeting vital interventions, job titles and knowledge gaps””
Click here for more information on how to register on these courses
by Clair Mooney | 23 Oct, 2025 | Skills
The Industry Task and Finish Group on the management of competence in organisations (ITFG) has launched its short consultation on its draft guidance Managing Competence in the Built Environment: A Guide. Feedback is welcomed until 10 November 2025.
The ITFG was pulled together in June 2025, to collaborate on guidance that will support organisations across the sector to manage competence of individuals, engaging with the Industry Competence Committee (ICC). The resulting output is a consensus document that follows the principles in the recently published ICC Consultation document. While the ICC principles document is pitched at a high level of ‘what’ is expected of organisations in this area, the ITFG document follows these principles and seeks to help organisations understand in detail ‘how’ to put in place approaches and processes to meet the ICC principles.
The broad representation in the ITFG aims to ensure that the wide-ranging needs of all types and size of organisations are met. More information about the terms of reference of the ITFG and who are collaborating in the ITFG can be found here
The consultation seeks to ensure that the document will provide practical guidance to implement the ICC high-level principles. Feedback is sought on whether the approach included provides useful guidance and tools to that end, or whether there is anything else that should be considered. The anonymous survey will take on average 8 minutes.
The ITFG and the ICC will present both guidance documents at a webinar on 30th October 10-11am. It is open to anyone interested in organisational management of competence. You can register for the webinar here
Following the consultation period, we will review the feedback with our technical Steering Group, collaborate with the ICC to ensure both guidance documents remain aligned, before getting final sign off from the full ITFG. Once published through members’ channels, the guidance will be an open-source document, accessible to all.
The ITFG draft guidance – Managing Competence in the Built Environment: A Guide – can be found here
The ITFG consultation survey, and all documents, can be found here
Webinar registration: please find the link here
by Clair Mooney | 17 Oct, 2025 | Main News Feed
Thanks to all who supported the FIS Conference yesterday in London. It was a really interesting day with insights from leaders and professionals across the fit-out, finishes, and interiors supply chain. It was a great opportunity to look (collectively as a supply chain) at some of the key opportunities and challenges that we face and how collaboration really is key for driving change for the better.
At our AGM that followed, FIS President Ian Strangward, Managing Director of contractor member Architectural Wallsz, announced the results of the 2025 Board Elections.
Joining the Board from 16 October as executive directors are: Jim Brennan of Nova Plasterboard Systems and Richard Grimes of Grimes Finishings, both contractor members of FIS, and Liz McDermott of QuickFix Profiles a supplier member of FIS.
We want to thank all those that took the time to stand for election, your support of FIS is hugely appreciated. We have a strong team and Board of directors who will ensure that FIS continues to be member led and is making a difference for individual members and the sector as a whole.
The day culminated in a drinks reception, generously supported by Nevill Long, to celebrate 10 years of FIS. Thanks to everyone who joined us.
Thanks to our event sponsors, Gypsum Products Association, Nevill Long and SpecFinish Magazine.
by Clair Mooney | 10 Oct, 2025 | Main News Feed
In response to the Government’s consultation on tackling late payment and retentions in the construction sector, FIS has prepared its formal response on the package of proposed legislative measures to address late, long and disputed business to business payments.
Members can access a copy of the formal response here. If you have any feedback, please email iainmcilwee@thefis.org by 20 October 2025 to ensure your views are represented before the consultation closes on 23 October 2025.
Background
This consultation recognises that late payment impacts 1.5 billion businesses and ultimately costs the UK economy almost £11 billion per year and closes down 38 UK businesses every day. The proposed package of measures are claimed to be the most significant attempt to address late, long and disputed business to business (B2B) payments in over 25 years.
The consultation proposes the following package of legislative measures:
| Policy |
Description |
| 1. Audit committees and board-level scrutiny of large company payment practices |
In September 2024, the government reaffirmed commitments to legislate on audit committees and other board level responsibilities to improve payment practices. The government believes further positive change could be achieved by increasing discussion and scrutiny of large companies’ payment practices at board level.We would welcome views on how government could best achieve this in the future with proportionate regulatory burden. For example:
A. Ensuring audit committees or company boards, where companies have them, provide commentary and make recommendations regarding payment performance to company directors before the data is submitted to government and included in the director’s report. This would include data provided as part of the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017, and any interest on late payment liabilities.
B. Ensuring the Small Business Commissioner writes to audit committees and company boards, where companies have them, when i) undertaking payment performance reporting assurance and ii) when investigating any other matter relating to a companies’ payment practices.
We would welcome views on these ideas, including the likely positive effects, costs, or any unintended negative consequences. We would also welcome other additional ideas to encourage greater discussion of payment practices at board level.
|
| 2. Maximum payment terms |
The policy will amend The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, removing the exemption that allows businesses to agree to payment terms longer than 60 days if considered not ‘grossly unfair’. This will effectively limit payment terms between UK businesses to 60 days. Subject to further consultation, this policy may subsequently reduce this limit from 60 days to 45 days after 5 years. |
| 3. A deadline for disputing invoices |
The policy will amend The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, introducing a 30-day invoice verification period. Businesses who wish to raise a dispute will need to do so within 30 days of receiving an invoice, otherwise they will be liable to pay the invoice in full within the agreed payment terms, alongside any statutory interest or debt recovery costs if the invoice is paid late. |
| 4. Mandatory statutory interest |
The policy will amend The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, making the statutory interest rate payable on late payments mandatory. This will remove the ability to negotiate compensation rates lower than the statutory rate. This will increase existing financial incentives to pay invoices on time. |
| 5. Additional reporting on statutory interest |
The policy will amend The Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 to include additional reporting requirements around statutory interest liabilities. This will further increase transparency around poor B2B payment behaviour and informs other policies that aim to improve the utilisation and payment of statutory interest. |
| 6. Financial penalties for persistent late payers |
The policy will introduce new legislation, which gives the SBC powers to issue financial to businesses who persistently pay their suppliers late. The policy will use payment behaviour data submitted by businesses under The Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations (2017) to identify and issue financial penalties to persistently late-paying businesses, with penalties based on businesses’ unpaid statutory interest liability. |
| 7. Additional powers for the SBC, including assurance of payment reporting data |
The policy will amend The Enterprise Act 2016 to give additional powers to the SBC. The additional powers would improve the SBC’s ability to conduct investigations into poor B2B payment behaviour (beyond its current complaints scheme), allow it to provide legally binding arbitration in disputes, and impose financial penalties or make arbitration awards after an investigation or arbitration process.The policy will also enable the SBC to investigate the accuracy of the payment reporting data that large businesses provide under The Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017. This will improve the quality of reporting data and support the reporting regulations original objectives of improving transparency around B2B payment behaviour. |
| 8. Use of retention clauses in construction contracts |
The policy will amend Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act (1996), to either prohibit the use of retentions or to introduce requirements to protect retention funds deducted and withheld from insolvency and late or non-payment. |
by Clair Mooney | 8 Oct, 2025 | Awards, Skills
We’re delighted to announce the shortlist for this year’s Training Awards.
Celebrating excellence and achievement in plastering and interior trades, these awards acknowledge the accomplishments of apprentices and students who have exceeded expectations, training delivery by colleges and training providers, mentors and others who have supported sector training, including a lifetime contribution to training award.
Apprentice of the Year – Plastering Shortlist
- Damian Hayes from Thomas & Wilsons
- George Stamp from Locker & Riley (Fibrous Plastering)
- Jake Waite of Wannop
Apprentice / Student of the Year – Interior Trades Shortlist
- Dawson Dellar of ACS Plastering
- Nicole McKeown from The Errigal Academy
- Sam Woodward of Measom Dryline
Student of the Year – Plastering Shortlist
- Mohammad Abuali studying at The City of Liverpool College
- Monique Fenell from Cadman Manpen Systems Limited
- Yusuf Ibrahim studying at Derby College
Training Provider / College of the Year Shortlist
- Carlisle College
- Coleg Llandrillo
- Coleg Menai
- Craven College
- Leicester College
- NPTC Group of Colleges
- The Skills Centre
Formula Trophy Shortlist
- Entol MFG North America Inc trading as Ceilings4U
- KLLangton Decorative Plasterwork
- Plaster Mouldings Direct
FIS Member Training Programme Shortlist
Training Champion Shortlist
- Adam Barringer
- Terry McDermott
- Paul Orton
The winners of the above categories, and the Rising Star and Lifetime Contribution to Training will be announced at the Training Awards Lunch on 25 November at Plaisterers Hall in London. If you haven’t yet reserved your seats you can book your place here.
Congratulations to all the nominees for their hard work and dedication in pursuing their academic goals!
by Clair Mooney | 6 Oct, 2025 | Skills
Are you a drylining employer based in Scotland? Your expertise is essential in shaping the future of our industry.
We’re currently reviewing the occupational standards for drylining apprenticeships—the benchmarks that define what apprentices need to know and be able to do. These standards must reflect the realities of the Scottish construction sector, and that’s where you come in.
Why your voice matters:
- Ensure apprentices are trained to meet the needs of Scottish worksites
- Influence the quality and relevance of future training
- Help build a skilled workforce that strengthens our national industry
Whether you’re a sole trader or part of a larger firm, your feedback will help ensure these standards are fit for purpose across Scotland.
If interested, please contact Jim Johnstone at Skills Development Scotland – jim.johnstone@sds.co.uk or 079828914298
Let’s work together to build a stronger, smarter future for drylining in Scotland.
by Clair Mooney | 2 Oct, 2025 | Payments
From 1 October 2025, companies bidding for central Government contracts over £5 million per year must now demonstrate that they pay invoices within an average of 45 days, down from 55 days. They must also continue to pay at least 95% of invoices within 60 days (90% if an action plan is provided) otherwise they will be excluded from bidding.
The guidance to PPN 018 confirms that companies must meet both of these metrics in at least one of their two previous six-month reporting periods under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations, although any companies that have failed to do so may submit data that has not yet been reported for the previous three or more months. Build UK’s payment performance table shows the results for more than 130 of the industry’s largest companies, and all Build UK tier one contractor members meet the new requirement to pay invoices within an average of 45 days.
The Government is consulting on further measures to tackle late payments, and we are encouraging all FIS members to have their say. The deadline for response is Thursday 23 October.
On the 9 September, FIS hosted a meeting with the Department for Business and Trade to discuss the key elements of the this consultation – you can see the full session here..FIS will be responding, but members are encouraged to feed their views into this consultation here.
by Clair Mooney | 1 Oct, 2025 | Health and Safety, Main News Feed
This week I attended the Mental Health Summit run by Get Construction Talking.
The stats are stark; we lose two people to suicide every day in construction. The industry is, when at its best, an amazing place to work, but not for everyone and not all the time. We all know that relentless programmes, poor payment practices, the race to the bottom, erratic work patterns, location dependence, and travel all contribute. It doesn’t help that we are a male dominated workforce that tends to the “just keep going” mindset. But it isn’t just a construction problem – industry specific challenges blend with societal issues, neural diversity, addiction, the cost-of-living crisis and the pressure that social media puts on people to feel like they are failing if life isn’t Insta perfect. We can’t always change the world, we can’t solve every problem, but we can be more alert.
As I sat there, I was thinking back to the presentation from Liam Colebrook at our Northern Regional Event the week prior and reminded of the consistency in the message. In a brave and challenging presentation, Liam opened up about his addictions and struggles with mental health and suicide. During the presentation you could have heard a pin drop, after there were some really powerful questions and discussion, but my mind was mostly turning to a moment when we were packing up. A former colleague of Liam’s, someone who worked with him at the time, came forward as we were unplugging the laptop and said … “mate I’m so sorry… I didn’t know”. I regularly caught up with Liam at events, throughout his darkest days and I didn’t see the signs either. Liam was one of our own, he went through hell, alone. Thankfully he is still here, staying strong and sharing so that we can all learn from our failures. But others aren’t and sadly some won’t be in the future – we do need to do more.
Get Construction Talking wasn’t just another conversation and a load of virtue signalling, it was an opportunity to share ideas, interrogate the causes, find out what others are doing and vitally to reflect. Collaboration is critical – as well as a “just crack on culture”, construction tends to foster a solutions mindset. We put ourselves on the hook to “fix it” rather than find the right help. As a result we get initiative overload – we are not the sum of our parts. This issue is one where we absolutely have to work on together. To this end it was encouraging to hear from Mark Reynolds, Chair of Mace and Chair of the Construction Leadership Council on the work they are doing to step up and lead a more collaborative effort. CLC has established a Mental Health Steering Group. You can find out more and support their research by sharing your insights here.
I’ve certainly come away thinking about how we can better join the dots to support individuals and businesses in our community more effectively. This starts with promoting the excellent and very practical Action Plan that B1M and Procore have developed through the Get Construction Talking Campaign (which is now uploaded on the Mental Health Toolkit on our website). The plan looks at the impact that individuals and Team Leaders can have and actions that they can take. I also want to do more to emphasise the links between mental health and other work we are doing. We can’t talk about mental health without talking about risk dumping in contracts and poor contractual management. FIS is encouraging all members to support the Conflict Avoidance Coalition which is doing great work to change this. Details available through our Responsible No campaign which is all about changing the culture in construction. We also can’t ignore unfair payment practices and retention and how they are a cancer at the core of our market, so again I encourage all to feed in to the Government consultation on late payment and retention that closes towards the end of August. We need to make sure Government have no excuse not to regulate better.
Perhaps the most important reminder on the day was that it isn’t just about getting construction talking, but making sure I am listening. To this end, please do bring always feel free to call FIS and unload – we can’t solve every problem, but perhaps we can help you appreciate that you aren’t the only one facing it and direct you to someone who can. Our office number is 0121 707 0077, but my mobile is 07792 959 481 and it is always on.
FIS CEO, Iain McIlwee
by Clair Mooney | 1 Oct, 2025 | Contractual and Legal
To support its members, FIS has produced a simple contract built for use by members. This work very much aligns to our Responsible No Campaign and our wider work on improving contractual practice and procurement in the sector.
The underlying principle is simplification works – when you streamline contracts and work of clear and simple terms you’ll save time, improve relationships, and avoid conflict.
The simplified contract has been developed by Sarah Fox, a renowned, and self-proclaimed recovering lawyer through consultation with FIS members. It can be used as an upper or lower contract and incorporates options to accomodate design where appropriate.
Vitally too the contracts have removed and clarified areas of contracts that are often weaponised in the legal process. It also includes clauses to help avoid conflict by using the Conflict Avoidance Process. This is part of FIS commitment to the Conflict Avoidance Pledge (in fact the need to challege the system with simpler contracts came out of a Round Table that FIS organised for the Conflict Avoidance Coalition (see the full write-up of the session here).
Matt Hallam, Divisional Director at Telling Finishings who was part of the contract development group said:
“For years construction contracts have increased in both content and terms, often adding minor changes and clauses which continue to confuse, conflict and often compromise those required to sign them.
The need for a shorter, and ultimately more simplified contract has never been greater, and we at Telling Finishings look forward to rolling out the ‘500 word Contract’, both upstream and downstream to hopefully give both the comfort and clarity these contracts were originally built to achieve.”
FIS CEO, Iain McIlwee commented:
There are many reasons for doing this. Firstly, we know a lot of our members start on a soft start with a letter of intent. This is a good set of working terms. Secondly, the contracts provide clauses that can be used as part of any contractual negotiation. Thirdly by deconstructing the existing standard form contracts, we’ve had a good chance to get into discussion of how specific sections are abused and weaponised and we can feed this into future discussions on the evolution of standard form contracts. And finally and perhaps most importantly, we need to highlight that there is a better way.
Despite all logic and every report into construction transformation arguing to the contrary,
we operate in a world where the industry is happy to accept the pantomime of pretence that we have Standard form JCTs or NECs. The reality is that we routinely amend them and waste valuable time and money, distort and destroy relationships, confuse responsibilities and undermine insurability.
Across the sector if we half our legal fees and we double our profits and that is before we think about the benefit of generally collaborative relationships helps create positive transformation – simplification is critical.
FIS is encouraging members to download and use these contracts to help simplify the way they work and improve relationships. To introduce how to use the contracts, author Sarah Fox took part in a webinar hosted by Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO in September 2025. In the webinar, Sarah boths introduces the contracts, answers questions from members and gives insight into some of the discussions that took place in the drafting process.
Members can download copies of the contracts free from the FIS Legal and Contractual Toolkit here.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Sep, 2025 | Technical
Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS) has published a report relating to reaction to fire classification of wall lining materials, pointing out the importance of understanding the testing regimes required for materials in different applications and how performance will likely be affected by composite panel constructions. Whilst the technical advice on testing applies to all wall lining products, the reporter here is particularly concerned about the classification of linings in and around freestanding pods which may have been overlooked in the requirements of Building Regulations guidance; Approved Document B due to being considered furniture items, and therefore not assessed for compliance by those responsible for fire safety in the design.
It is also important to understand that freestanding pods can have implications on both passive and active fire protection systems given their function as a room within a larger space.
The full report can be seen here: Reaction to fire of wall linings | CROSS
If members have questions about design, specification, procurement or installation of pods, please either consult our Specifiers Guide to Partitions, or get in touch with our technical team who will be happy to help.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Sep, 2025 | Contractual and Legal, Payments
On the 9 September, FIS hosted a meeting with the Department for Business and Trade to discuss the key elements of the the government’s consultation on late payments and retentions in the construction sector that was launched on 31 July.
FIS CEO, Iain McIlwee opened the meeting explaining that this is a once in a generational opportunity to get genuine legislative support from government as opposed to weakly enforced guidance. The consultation proposes nine measures to tackle late payments, including a 60-day maximum payment term, mandatory statutory interest, and a ban or protection mechanism for retention clauses.
The aim is to legislate to improve cash flow, reduce disputes and ensure fair payment practices.
Two main proposals for retentions were debated: a statutory ban on retention clauses and a protection scheme requiring retentions to be protected in a separate bank account or insured.
In this discussion it was highlighted that whilst the ban is attractive in principle, concerns were raised about retentions being replaced by expensive bonds and legal loopholes.
The digitalisation of trust accounts combined with automatic release on clearly defined dates associated with completion of works would potentially offer a more cost effective and practical solution. It was felt that this approach would also encourage clients to consider why they hold retention and how to manage quality and remove those companies that may be holding retention purely to retain working capital and seeking to profit from complexity in the current system
You can see the full session here.
FIS will be responding, but members are encouraged to feed their views into this consultation here
by Clair Mooney | 26 Sep, 2025 | Main News Feed, Skills, Sustainability
FIS is supporting The Future Skyline Skills Commitment to encourage built environment employers to offer more inclusive workplaces and training, especially green skills training, to attract and retain new talent, including young people aged 16-18.
The construction industry is about people, progress, and possibility. This commitment, developed by the City of London Corporation and the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline (FSSC) Taskforce, empowers us to shape a
sector that is sustainable, inclusive and future-ready.
Iain McIlwee FIS CEO and Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Strategy Board Member said:
The Skills Shortage is a systemic problem that is impacting the market now and has the potential to choke expected future construction. The City of London Corporation recognise that this in turn has the potential to impact the attractiveness of London as leading global business hub.
The scale of the problem is enormous and particularly acute in London that was more reliant on migrant workers than other parts of the UK. The supply chain, from supplier and contractor through to client, needs to work together to create the right conditions to invest and work collectively to ensure we are finding the next cohort of workers now, have a stable pipeline of people wanting to join the industry in the future and the training infrastructure to deliver this. It has been amazing to work on the Skills for a Sustainable Taskforce Leadership Taskforce, I have learned loads, made amazing connections and found new hope. I applaud the City of London Corporation for creating this Taskforce and the collaborative ecosystem that is now working to support our common goal of fixing the skills crisis in London and look forward to being part of the next stage of the work – delivering it!”
To launch the Future Skyline Skills Commitment, The Skyline Skills Hub is hosting an in-person launch reception on the evening of Wednesday 1 October from 18.30-19.15pm (with networking before and afterwards), hosted at NLA’s The London Centre (3 Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH. Iain McIlwee will be attending the launch event, and is encouraging members to join him and hear about the commitment and how it can drive change in the sector, promoting sustainability and inclusivity by inspiring companies to take practical actions to address the sector’s skills gap.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Sep, 2025 | Sustainability
In an inspiring testament to innovation and sustainability, our ambitious initiative, Project Reuse, aimed at rescuing lights and other products from strip-outs has been awarded a Build Back Better GREEN Award in the 2025 lighting category. This award highlights our commitment in addressing the environmental challenges associated with fit-out and refurbishment.
The initiative, which has been crowdfunded for the first 12 months and led by the FIS Sustainability Leadership Group, focuses on the recovery and repurposing of lighting fixtures and ceilings products that are typically discarded during building strip-outs. By diverting these materials from landfills and giving them a second life, Project Reuse not only reduces environmental impact but also promotes a circular economy.
There is an increasing pressure from clients to reduce the carbon emissions of buildings. Giving products a second or third life is the only way we can continue our activities while minimising our impact on the planet. This is the way forward for the industry.
FIS Project Reuse Project Manager, Hattie Emerson who collected the Award said:
“We are thrilled to receive this award, which recognises our efforts to demystify the perceived challenges of incorporating preused products in projects. It is a result of dedicated collaboration, working closely with industry partners, architects, contractors, installers, manufacturers and sector leads to ensure the effective recovery and reuse of lighting and ceiling products. A special thanks go to the FIS Sustainability Leadership Group and project supporters Recolight, Reusefully, Ambit, Lumybel, Blackstone Strip Out, TP Bennett, Space Interior Systems, SAS, Recolight, Overbury and BPC Interiors without whose support this wouldn’t have been possible”.
The FIS Sustainability Leadership Group is a unique multi-stakeholder group that aims to accelerate sustainability through collaboration. We invite you to come and join the group whether you know a lot or very little about sustainability. If you are interested in joining the group, email flavielowres@thefis.org
You can find out more about Project Reuse here.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Sep, 2025 | Health and Safety, Main News Feed
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has today published a consultation on its mental health project. The CLC’s Health Safety and Wellbeing Summit on 1 July set out mental health as one of its priority focus areas (as part of its wider Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy), with the aim to create an environment that fosters better mental health for the people that work in the UK construction industry.
The CLC held a series of focus groups across England, in partnership with Mates in Mind and the University of Warwick, to identify the primary root causes for poor mental health in construction. Today’s consultation which is open until 5 November 2025, details those causes and invites stakeholders across the industry for their views on what can be done to eliminate or reduce them.
The importance of this work is illustrated by the fact the suicide rate in UK construction is four times the national average which is unacceptable.
Whilst we know there are lots of factors that affect a person’s mental health, with some work related and some not, these are not numbers. They are husbands, wives, dads, mums, children and friends. The time for systemic change is now. We all have a responsibility to our workforce to improve the health and wellbeing of our people.
Today’s consultation focuses on the measures that the UK construction industry can take to reduce the future likelihood of poor mental health in the sector.
We want to hear your views and ambitions for how we can collectively come together to reduce or eliminate the challenges colleagues and friends are experiencing across the sector. Change is needed.
We will then analyse the consultation results, before agreeing and publishing, in Spring 2026, an action plan with supporting guidance with industry leaders, and key stakeholders on what we can jointly do to address the root causes.
Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council said:
“As leaders in the built environment and construction sector, we have a collective responsibility to our workforce to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of our people.
By working in partnership and being ambitious, we can drive improvements in mental health across the sector, ensuring a positive working environment for our current and future workforce.
Today’s consultation is a vital step in that journey, enabling us to bring together the views of industry in this space to inform our public Spring 2026 action plan. I would encourage you to respond and give us your views”.
Feed your response into the consultation here
by Clair Mooney | 25 Sep, 2025 | Building Safety Act
Following the publication of Build UK’s latest version of the Common Assessment Standard on 1 July, a number of Build UK members have confirmed that companies in their supply chain must complete the mandatory Building Safety section by 1 October 2025. This applies to all companies carrying out work under the Building Safety Act.
Those members include BAM, Bowmer + Kirkland, Galliford Try, Kier, Mace, Morgan Sindall, Tilbury Douglas, VINCI and Wates, and companies working for any of these organisations should check that they have now completed the Building Safety section. The guide to the Common Assessment Standard question set includes guidance on answering the questions, including the evidence that can be submitted to support a response and where further information can be found.
If you have already the Common Assessment Standard from any one of the Recognised Assessment Bodies you do not need to obtain certification again from any others. Instead, they can agree to share their data at no cost with the other Recognised Assessment Bodies so it is visible to more Contractors and Clients. Don’t duplicate: giving permission to share your data is quick and simple and will help businesses across the supply chain to save time, reduce costs and win work.
The final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry included a recommendation to introduce a licensing scheme for Principal Contractors wishing to work on Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs). Build UK has met with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to present the Common Assessment Standard, which is already used by over 21,000 suppliers to demonstrate their organisational capability. As a next step, we have been asked by MHCLG to host a joint roundtable with members that undertake the role of Principal Contractor on HRBs to discuss the objectives of a licensing scheme and how existing initiatives such as the Common Assessment Standard might be used effectively.
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