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.
The contract has 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 that supported this work 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.
FIS has produced a short training course to support implementation, in the course Sarah boths introduces the contracts, answers questions from members and gives insight into some of the discussions that took place in the drafting process.
E-learning course: Adopting Simplified Contracts is available here
The Template Construction Contract can be downloaded by FIS Members here
A simplified contract for use with labour only subcontractors and labour suppliers is available here
Members can access more resources via the FIS Legal and Contractual Toolkit via the link below
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.
by Clair Mooney | 18 Sep, 2025 | Main News Feed
The energy market has seen some big developments in recent weeks, with new charges and increased grid costs set to impact all businesses.
To help cut through the noise, FIS Associate Member Enexus Energy, has created a jargon-free guide that explains:
- The new Nuclear RAB levy (what it is, how much it costs, and when it starts)
- Why TNUoS transmission charges are rising much more than expected
- The potential impact on standing charges and existing contracts
- What options may be available to help mitigate the increases
These are complex changes that have a lot of different variables. But broadly speaking, businesses will see an increase in standing charges for fixed contracts from 2026 onwards.
If you are interested in reviewing your energy, Enexus is offering FIS members a free energy health check to help save money, boost efficiency, and plan ahead with confidence. You can find out more about this offer at https://www.thefis.org/membership-hub/memberbenefits/enexus/
by Clair Mooney | 17 Sep, 2025 | Building Safety Act
Building on its Gateway Two guidance, Build UK has published an
overview of Gateway Three and the information and documents that must be included within an application to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) for a Completion Certificate for a Higher-Risk Building (HRB). Gateway Three is a new application process which requires all the information to be submitted, even where it was previously provided as part of the
Gateway Two application.
The Build UK guide, which is available to FIS members through our membership of Build UK, is aligned with the BSR application portal and sets out the full list of questions that must be completed, including whether they are multiple choice, free text or a PDF document upload, to make it as easy as possible for members preparing and submitting a Gateway Three application. If a Partial Completion Strategy was agreed at Gateway Two and part of the building is intended to be occupied before work is completed on the rest of the building, then a Partial Completion Certificate must be applied for in relation to the work that has been completed. As is the case at Gateway Two, the BSR will carry out an initial assessment of the Gateway Three application to ensure that all the documents required have been submitted, which is known as the validation stage.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published updated guidance on the Fire Safety (England) Regulations in relation to the fire performance of flat entrance doors in existing blocks of flats. Designed to help Responsible Persons comply with their obligations to check that fire doors are regularly checked and remain suitable in accordance with the fire risk assessment originally undertaken, the update clarifies that the regulations do not require all existing flat entrance doors to be replaced to satisfy current standards for new blocks of flats as required by the Building Regulations.
The BSR and the Leasehold Advisory Service have launched a free online building safety training programme for Resident Management Companies to help them understand the Building Safety Act and their legal obligations for managing safety in High-Rise Residential Buildings.
by Clair Mooney | 17 Sep, 2025 | Main News Feed
Local Government East (LGE) is seeking to understand micro / small businesses experiences of working with councils, or their reasons for choosing not to trade with them.
This short survey, which will only take two minutes of your time and is completely anonymous, will help LGE understand how they can remove barriers for small/ micro businesses accessing public sector business.
Over 95% of all registered UK companies are small or micro businesses. These businesses make an essential contribution to the prosperity of local communities and we would urge everyone to make their voice heard
The survey link is here and responses are required by Friday 3 October 2025.
by Clair Mooney | 12 Sep, 2025 | Awards
The FIS Scottish Awards are a celebration of the exceptional work and diverse range of projects carried out in Scotland. On 12 September, the awards ceremony was held at the impressive voco Grand Central Glasgow. The event was hosted by ex-professional referee John Rowbotham and was well-attended, with guests eagerly anticipating the announcement of this year’s winners.
The ceremony began with a short speech from FIS Chief Executive Iain McIlwee followed by a welcome address from FIS President Ian Strangward who highlighted the organisation’s activities in 2025 and plans for the future.
After a fantastic three-course lunch, the presentation of the awards began. The winners were as follows:
Specialist Installation category:
- Gold Award: Linear Projects for its installation at the W Hotel in Edinburgh
- Silver Award: Indeglas for its installation at the Haymarket Buildings in Edinburgh
Interior Fit Out category
- Gold Award: MPACT Group for its installation at Virgin Money in Glasgow
- Silver Award: Clansman Interiors for its installation at Future Beauty Labs in Glasgow
Project of the Year
- MPACT Group for its installation at Virgin Money in Glasgow
Apprentice of the Year: Josh Markie of Brian Hendry Interiors
Lifetime Achievement Award: Mike McLaughlin, former Managing Director of Roskel
Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award: Ricky Spinelli, former Managing Director Roskel
Congratulations to all our winners, and to everyone who entered.
by Clair Mooney | 4 Aug, 2025 | Awards
Join us on 12 September in Glasgow for our annual Scottish Awards Lunch at which we honour the outstanding projects completed by our members in Scotland. The FIS Scottish Awards showcase the remarkable achievements of our members, with each project undergoing rigorous examination by our judges. From on-site visits to comprehensive judging criteria, every aspect is carefully evaluated to recognise excellence in the field.
The standard of entries into this year’s Awards as always was extremely high, so congratulations to all companies that entered. The shortlisted projects are:
Specialist Installation
Interior Fit Out:
In addition to these categories, we will also be unveiling this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
You can book to attend here.
by Clair Mooney | 28 Jul, 2025 | Main News Feed, Market data
The Construction Products Association’s Summer Forecasts, published today, show that the key drivers of cautious growth in UK construction remain similar to three months ago but the economic risks and uncertainties have risen considerably. Total construction output is forecast to rise by 1.9% in 2025 and 3.7% in 2026, matching projections from Spring.
The growth in construction activity in 2025 and 2026 is forecast to be driven by the three largest sectors of construction: private housing new build, private housing repair, maintenance and improvement (rm&i) and infrastructure. Nevertheless, these sectors remain vulnerable to delays in starting new projects in the near-term, homeowner and consumer confidence to spend, and risks around the government increasingly looking as though it will need to raise taxes once again, potentially cut back on its capital expenditure plans, or both.
Private housing output is forecast to rise by 4.0% in 2025 and 7.0% in 2026. Fortunes for firms in house building will depend heavily on which part of the sector they are operating in. Major house builders continue to see a gradual recovery in completions, from a low base. Smaller house builders have seen an improvement in demand, but site viability remains challenging, given the numerous costs that the government continues to add to house builders. Build-to-Rent and high-rise continue to be affected by 6-9 month delays at the Building Safety Regulator, which are not expected to be resolved during the forecast period. Whilst government’s focus on supply side measures such as the National Planning Policy Framework, and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill may benefit towards the end of the forecast period and beyond, the demand side will be the key driver of activity in the near-term, balancing further interest rate cuts and improving confidence with continuing constraints around affordability.
In private housing rm&i, activity continues to be supported by government-subsidised energy-efficiency programmes, predominantly for heat pumps and solar photovoltaics, as well as a stream of fire safety remediation work. Outside of this, general home improvement activity remains subdued because although many homeowners currently have spare funds available for general home improvements, they are choosing to save rather than spend due to the scarring effect of the inflation spikes in 2022 and 2023 and current economic uncertainty. The key to growth in the sector overall will be when these homeowners with finance feel confident enough to spend on home improvement projects. This is still expected to be in late 2025 but it may be pushed back into 2026, especially if there are tax rises in the Autumn. Overall, private housing rm&i output is expected to rise by 2.0% in 2025, with any growth at the backend of the year, followed by 3.0% growth in 2026.
Infrastructure activity continues to remain strong on major projects such as Hinkley Point C and HS2, with water & sewerage as well as energy generation and distribution also set to become key drivers of growth next year. Large announcements of capital expenditure, the government’s recent ten-year Infrastructure Strategy and the Infrastructure Pipeline also show potential for the long-term. However, constant pauses, delays and cancellations to road and rail projects, the most recent of which were at the start of the month, as well as questions over the level of funding in the next National Highways settlement highlight major risks to infrastructure delivery. Overall, infrastructure output is expected to rise by 1.9% in 2025 and 4.4% in 2026.
Commenting on the Spring Forecasts, CPA Head of Construction Research, Rebecca Larkin, said:
“The key fundamentals for the construction industry remain largely unchanged. Although everything continues to point towards the gradual growth in construction activity gathering pace over the rest of this year and in 2026, the only thing that has changed is the uncertainty.
“The forecasts envisage demand and activity gradually picking up in the two largest construction sectors but with all the different uncertainties around the economy, the key question for housing new build and rm&i is still when – when will mortgage rates fall to allow for more homebuyers, when will existing homeowners feel confident enough to spend on larger home improvements, and when will delays at the BSR ease to allow house builders and developers to start more high-rise projects.
“The government’s focus on capital investment in the Spending Review, plus the ten-year infrastructure strategy and infrastructure pipeline have helped to plot a path a path to long-term growth, but it is looking increasingly likely that the Chancellor will need to either raise taxes or cut capital expenditure – or do both – in the Autumn Budget. This would directly affect the largest private construction sectors, such as private housing new build and rm&i, as well as the largest public construction sectors, including schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, depending on where the capital expenditure cuts may fall.”
by Clair Mooney | 23 Jul, 2025 | Market data
Growth returned in the Construction Products Association State of Trade Survey for the second quarter of 2025, with 53% of heavy side product manufacturers and one-third of those on the light side reporting an increase in sales, on balance. This follows the fall in heavy side sales that was reported in Q1 and the latest results echo trading statements from house builders of a tentative pick-up in new starts (reliant on heavy side products), alongside a continuation of offices and commercial refurbishment and work under various government-funded energy-efficiency improvement schemes (that are dominated by light side products). Demand for heavy side products has remained weak for longer than expected over the last 12-18 months, as project starts have been held back by subdued homebuyer, consumer and investor confidence, slow economic growth and lingering uncertainty over geopolitical developments regarding tariffs, the Middle East and oil prices.
by Clair Mooney | 21 Jul, 2025 | Building Safety Act
Following concerns raised by Industry that delays in approvals by the BSR have slowed down the delivery of new buildings and homes, the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, has launched an inquiry into building safety regulation, with a particular focus on the work of the Building Safety Regulator, which was established following the Building Safety Act 2022.
The Committee invites interested individuals and organisations to submit evidence here by 31 August 2025.
by Clair Mooney | 21 Jul, 2025 | Building Safety Act
Safety, accountability, and residents’ voices were the three key principles of a landmark building safety Bill that was laid before the Senedd earlier this month, according to Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant.
The Building Safety (Wales) Bill forms part of a wider programme of reforms aimed at improving safety in these buildings, and is part of the Welsh Government’s broader response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy which seeks to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again, and includes:
- A programme of work aimed at addressing fire safety issues in multi-occupied residential buildings of 11m and above;
- Significant reforms to the building control system;
- Introducing new regulations for high-risk buildings;
- Clearer responsibilities for duty holders;
- Mandatory registration and regulation of building control professionals.
The Bill will require building safety risks to be assessed and managed while buildings are in occupation, for the benefit of residents and others, with a robust enforcement regime to back that up. Fire safety duties will also apply to certain Houses in Multiple Occupation.
The legislation will also create clear lines of accountability for duty holders. These duty holders will have legal responsibility for assessing and managing building safety, ending confusion over who is responsible for the safety of residents and others.
Additionally, the Bill will see residents in all regulated buildings provided with greater reassurances about the safety of their homes and clear routes for redress to raise building safety complaints. While also placing responsibilities on residents to play their part in keeping their building safe.
Cabinet Secretary Jayne Bryant said:
This landmark Bill will fundamentally transform safety in multi-occupied residential buildings across Wales.
Its key principles are safety, accountability and residents’ voices, and it goes wider and further than existing legislation in other parts of the UK.
It creates clear legal responsibilities for owners and others, gives residents new rights and pathways to raise complaints, enables standards for professional assessments, and provides robust enforcement powers when safety requirements aren’t met.
Because the safety and wellbeing of people in their homes must always be our priority.
This Bill is part of a wider programme to ensure that buildings in Wales are safer, and that people are protected in their homes.
The legacy of Grenfell Tower must be meaningful change. We owe it to those who lost their lives, their families, and the survivors to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again.
There are several differences between this and the UK Building Safety Act 2022. The Welsh bill:
- Applies to all multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more units regardless of height whereas the UK Act primarily applies to higher-risk buildings over 18m or seven storeys
- Expands the definition of higher-risk buildings to include hospitals, care homes and children’s homes while the UK Act focuses solely on residential buildings
- In Wales, local authorities will regulate the occupation phase with the HS&E overseeing registration. In England, the HSE Building Safety Regulator oversees both construction and occupational phases.
For more information on the Welsh Bill click here.
by Clair Mooney | 17 Jul, 2025 | Main News Feed
This week the FIS responded to the Government Consultation on supporting small businesses. The consultation required response to 15 questions looking at current Government support for Small Businesses and Start-ups and where and how this could be improved.
In terms of priorities the FIS response focussed on:
- Payment practices, Credit Availability and Insolvency Regulation
- Fixing a broken Skills and Employment System
- Responsible public sector procurement
- Eliminate unreasonable risk transfer
In the response FIS noted the complexity in the regulatory structure, the impact of rising costs of compliance and employment and complexity associated with Government Grants and loans and lack of support from R&D that is near to market beyond Annual Investment and R&D Tax Allowances which, whilst useful do not provide upfront support to help SMEs raise necessary investment capital. The overall difficulty in accessing credit on reasonable terms also featured strongly in the FIS response.
FIS also drew out the lack of protection for SMEs in existing Insolvency Regulations, the softness of intent and enforcement of Late Payment Regulation and concerns about contractual complexity and growing legal costs.
The full response can be seen here.
by Clair Mooney | 11 Jul, 2025 | Health and Safety, Main News Feed
Following an investigation into knife injuries in the sector, the FIS Health and Safety Group has launched new guidance on knives to help businesses assess and plan for risks more effectively and protect workers from potentially life-changing injuries while improving overall project productivity.
Commenting on the launch of the new guidance, David Cant, Chair of the FIS Health and Safety Working Group said:
“Thankfully knife injuries remain rare amongst FIS membership, but through our H&S Working Group we take a proactive approach to reducing accident rates further. Having investigated all injuries reported in the past three years (through our Annual Health and Safety Survey) and looked at where and how knives are used in the sector, FIS do not advocate that the use of fixed and semi-fixed blade knives is inherently unsafe for operations like scoring plasterboard and recognises that alternatives are not always practical. However, where the use of such knives is necessary, it is important to risk assess, ensure that usage is limited to trained operatives, that safety protocols are adhered to, the correct tools are used and maintained and to double down on the use of appropriate PPE. To reinforce these key messages, with the support of our H&S Working Group, FIS has produced guidance that improves awareness, provides practical advice and reinforces the need for refresher training in support of the safe use of knives on-site”.
Most knife injuries occur when a blade slips often striking the worker’s other hand and causing lacerations to the hand or fingers. Where accidents have occurred they tend to link to a failure to follow PPE protocols. Using blunt tools further increases the risk. New Guidance from FIS reinforces that knives should only be issued to and carried by workers performing tasks that have been risk-assessed to ensure the right tool is being used, and only where appropriate training has been provided.
This guidance, adapted from advice developed by the Health and Safety Executive and the British Safety Industry Federation, has been contextualised by the FIS Health and Safety Working Group to suit the finishes and interiors sector. It focuses on eight key steps to reduce knife-cut injuries:
- Reduce or eliminate the need for cutting
- Specify the right knife for the task
- Ensure spare knives and blades are available
- Safe Storage / Sheathing
- Specify the correct PPE
- Assess the working environment and cutting techniques
- Provide adequate training
- Ensure appropriate first aid is available
The guidance also includes posters and QR codes that can be used on site and provide access to guidance.
To download the Knife-cut Injury Guidance, click here.
