News
Changing legislation in Scotland
Developers in Scotland will be banned from using combustible cladding on high‐rise buildings from 1 June, following the introduction of new building standards legislation. Since 2005, new cladding systems on high‐rise blocks of flats have either had to use...
Common Assessment Standard updated to reflect UK sanctions list
Due to the unprecedented situation in Ukraine, which has led to a growing list of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, Build UK will be adding a new question to the Common Assessment Standard to enable the construction supply chain to demonstrate that it is not...
Construction Product Availability Statement May 2022
Statement from John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Product Availability working group With the Product Availability Group having...
Working from home relief
The Covid-related relaxation to the rules on claiming expenses for working from home has now been abolished. What this means is that if your employees *can* work from home if they choose but you have not *required* them to work from home, they can no longer claim home...
Interest Rates up, but Economy potentially down in 2023
Monetary Policy Summary, May 2022 The MPC voted by a majority of 6-3 to increase Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 1%. Commenting on the increase FIS CEO Iain McIlwee stated: "It is clear that the bank needs to act as inflation is well above the 2% threshold and...
FIS publish technical guidance on the use of frameless glazing when used as guarding
FIS has launched a technical guidance note, Guarding with frameless glass partitioning to help specifiers, designers, manufacturers and specialist contractors fully understand the unique challenges of utilising full height frameless glazed partitions as a barrier. The...
Construction activity buoyant, but strong headwinds coming, warns Construction Products Association
In its latest quarterly forecast, the Construction Products Association (CPA) sees a dramatic slowing in growth, with uncertainty ahead as global issues start to affect the UK market. In previous years, the predicted 2.8% growth in construction output anticipated by...
CICV tells construction clients that rise in project costs reflects ongoing global turmoil
The Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) has reassured clients that ongoing price rises for projects are caused by global events not “profiteering” – and says any increases only reflect the spiralling costs that are affecting the whole construction industry....
Skills Bill clears way for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to unify system
Somewhat in the shadow of the Building Safety Bill, new laws were also passed on Thursday through the Skills and Post-16 Education Act that will help transform the skills and training landscape and level up opportunities across the country. The Skills and Post-16...