In response to reports that tomorrow the Chancellor will announce a package of measures to improve the energy efficiency of our leaky homes and buildings, including £5,000 vouchers for homeowners to carry out insulation and other retrofit measures, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said:
“This is very good news, signalling both an important step towards building back better and greener, and a vote of confidence for local builders up and down the country. This will protect jobs in construction, and create new opportunities. We must ensure that all the new entrants to the industry receive proper training or apprenticeships, to guarantee that energy efficiency home improvements are delivered by quality tradespeople.
Berry concluded: “To secure local growth and level-up across the country, local builders are ideally placed to deliver the work and the scheme must be accessible to small and medium-sized firms (SMEs). The FMB has been calling for a national retrofit strategy and this step today will help give the boost to consumer confidence that will be needed. We will push for additional steps such as the development of green finance to support the further development of the strategy, and for the full £9.2 billion pledged in the manifesto to be brought forward. We hope in his statement tomorrow, the Chancellor gives added support to the sector with a temporary cut in VAT, support for apprenticeship delivery, and SME house builders.”
Notes to editors
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is the largest trade association in the UK construction industry representing thousands of firms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Established in 1941 to protect the interests of small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms, the FMB is independent and non-profit making, lobbying for members’ interests at both the national and local level.
The FMB is a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, providing a range of modern and relevant business building services to help them succeed. The FMB is committed to raising quality in the construction industry and offers a free Find a Builder service to consumers.
