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CPA Economic and Construction Update
The CPA's Economic and Construction Update provides an insightful summary of the latest economic and construction trends in the UK. The Department for Business and Trade (now renamed the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) Building materials and...
Industry invited to have its say on Specialist Furniture Technician Competence Framework
The draft Competence Framework for Specialist Furniture Technicians has now been published, with the wider industry invited to review the framework and contribute to the consultation. Developed through an industry-led process, the framework aims to establish a clear...
HSE Consultation on PPE and Limb (b) Workers: industry input needed
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently reviewing the effectiveness of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022, including the extension of PPE requirements to so-called "Limb (b) workers". This has regularly been raised as an...
Could BICS cut your electricity costs by up to 4p/kWh?
The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) is a new government initiative designed to reduce electricity costs for thousands of manufacturing businesses across Great Britain. From 2027, eligible manufacturers could save an estimated £35–£40 per MWh of...
New Employment Rights: what you need to know
The Employment Rights Act represents the ‘biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation’ and further measures will come into force next month. From 1 October, the time limit for an employee to make a claim to an Employment Tribunal will be increased from three to...
BSI consults on new BS 15234 Standard to replace BS 5234 Parts 1 and 2
BSI committee B/544 has opened a consultation on the merger of BS 5234-1 and BS 5234-2 into a new standard BS 15234. BS 5234 parts 1 and 2 respectively constitute a code of practice and test methods for robustness for partitions and have remained unchanged since...
Improving payment practices in construction: FIS seeks member input on the next phase of reform
The publication of new retention data through Build UK’s Payment Performance Table marks a significant milestone in the long-running campaign to improve payment practices across construction. For the first time, reporting requirements now provide transparency around...
FIS announces shortlist for 2026 Scottish Awards
FIS is pleased to unveil the shortlist for this year’s Scottish Awards, celebrating the projects, businesses and people making a standout contribution to the finishes and interiors industry across Scotland. The shortlisted entries showcase the breadth of talent,...
Building Safety Regulator publishes latest gateway data
340 decisions were made across all valid Gateway Two applications with an approval rate of 82% according to the latest Building Safety Regulator data for the period 11 May to 1 August 2026. However, 300 applications (47% of the total received) were deemed invalid or...