Following the CITB announcement in June of the delay in Levy payments from May 2020 until September 2020, they proposed a reduction on the 2021 and 2022 Levy rate, providing an overall saving of 25% across two years to help businesses with cash flow.

CITB has also extended the period over which regular payments can be made, offering the ability to pay instalments over a full 12 months.  Direct debit instalments are usually collected in the 10 months between May and February but will now be collected over a full 12 months, starting in September 2020 and completing in August 2021.

For employers with existing CITB direct debits, these will automatically switch to the new instalment plan.  For others wanting to benefit from the extended period of interest-free direct debits, you will need to complete and return the direct debit mandate that will accompany the 2019 Levy Assessment Notice no later than Friday 18 September 2020.  The first direct debit instalment is due by 28 September 2020.

More information can be found here.  If you have an estimated Levy payment or need guidance on what to do, please click here.

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The First Minister has confirmed today that Scotland is to remain in Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown.

Further actions including those detailed below are also being taken to help suppress the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

• The limit on the number of people who can meet socially indoors or outdoors will be reduced from a maximum of eight people to six people, and they should come from no more than two households down from three previously. This applies in people’s homes and gardens as well as in hospitality and public spaces such as parks.
• Face coverings will be mandated for customers and staff in indoor hospitality. There will be an exemption for when customers are eating and drinking. Staff in non-public facing roles, such as kitchen staff, will also be exempt where face coverings may present health and safety issues due to the nature of roles. Exemptions for vulnerable groups/individuals will also apply to hospitality settings. Regulations will the take effect on Monday 14 September.
• The cautious approach to any further opening up of economic or social activity will continue and the route map changes that were previously given an indicative date of 14 September will now be assigned a new indicative date of 5 October.

Further details are available here.

Scottish Construction Leadership Forum releases recovery plan in consultation with industry

The Plan for Jobs has introduced new support for FIS members to take on 16-24 for initial six months from the Government’s new Kick-start scheme.  The Kickstart scheme is for employers to create new jobs for those aged 16-24, claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.  There is no cap on the number of places per employer.  Companies who take part in the scheme will have to prove that the jobs they are making available to applicants are new, are not replacing any already existing jobs and are ‘above and beyond any jobs they were expecting to create’.  Employers will be required to provide training and support for the kick starter to find a permanent job, in early August the Chancellor said ‘If employers meet the conditions, government will pay young people’s wages for six months, plus an amount to cover overheads.’

Funding will be available for each six month job placement and will cover 100% of the National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week and employers will be able to top this wage up.  It is likely employers will be required to register through Job Centre plus.  Official policy and guidance has not yet to been published, so please check with FIS if you are offered anything to do with Kickstart.  FIS will publish details when they become available.

Our Skills and Training Lead, George Swann gives advice on how to choose a good, and swerve a potentially poor training provider

Like it or loath it, people need training and there are a lot of training providers willing to take your money, some top quality and some not so good.  In every case training for work is a requirement of UK law, as a general duty of employers the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states:

“the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of employees”

As with all products and services it’s well worth shopping around and checking what you’re actually going to get for your money.  Always negotiate with training providers to get the best possible service, quality and price.

As an example, we recently received an offer that initially looked great and ideal for our staff, offering a bursary for early sign up.  But, on investigation the training equated to 40 hours of online tuition at £25 per hour per attendee, the attendee was required to identify a work based mentor and complete four hours of self-assessment exercises, as part of the 40, then two multi-choice answer tests online.  The outcome was an attendance certificate with no link to anything formally registered.  Get 40 students signed up for that per month and it’s a nice little earner with minimal overheads.

When you’re looking for training provision consider asking the following questions:

1. Is this training linked to a formal outcome, a qualification on the Ofqual and/or QIW and/or the SQA register, if it’s stated it is, check it out its always worth requesting the reference:

Ofqual: Ofqual Formal Qualification Register

Wales: Qualifications in Wales

Scotland SQA: Scottish Qualification Authority Register

2. Is there any funding available to support this training?
3. Does this training require a renewal, if so, what is the criteria?
4. Is there any follow up support?
5. When will we receive the certificate(s)?
6. Is there an appeals procedure, if so, what are the details?

FIS has a network of Approved Training Providers who have signed the FIS Code of Conduct and are subjected to an audit to ensure the service provided matches FIS members expectations.  If you feel unsure FIS will be happy to help by providing information, advice and guidance please call 0121 707 0077 or email info@thefis.org