The UK’s construction industry is facing a ‘national crisis’ due to a severe shortage of skilled builders, as the government seeks to build 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029.
UK Construction Industry Faces ‘National Crisis’ Over Shortage of Builders
The UK‘s construction industry is facing a “national crisis” due to a severe shortage of skilled builders, according to industry leaders. To meet the government’s ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029, tens of thousands of new recruits are needed across various trades.
The Scale of the Problem
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) and UK housebuilder Barratt Redrow estimate that there is a dire shortage of construction workers. The current workforce is estimated to be around 2.67 million, but for every 10,000 new homes built, the sector needs about 30,000 new recruits across 12 trades.
The government’s target means building an average of 300,000 new homes per year, which is significantly higher than recent years’ average of 220,000. To achieve this, the industry would need to recruit thousands more skilled workers each year.
Skills Shortages and Brexit
Industry leaders point to skills shortages, ageing workers, and Brexit as key factors behind the shrinking workforce. The HBF notes that the sector itself has not attracted enough new recruits in recent years, partly due to a lack of training within schools and limited apprenticeships.
The industry body also highlights the challenges of recruiting from overseas, citing recruitment constraints such as poor perception and high costs associated with taking on apprentices. The UK’s decision to end freedom of movement following Brexit has reduced the recruitment pool, and many skilled workers have left the industry since the 2008 financial crash.
Government Response
The government has acknowledged the shortage and announced £140m in funding to create 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places per year. It also established “homebuilding skills hubs” to fast-track training and make the sector a priority for skilled careers.
However, local councils have expressed concerns that the targets are unrealistic and impossible to achieve. The independent think tank Centre for Cities has estimated that housebuilders will fall short of the government’s 1.5 million target by 388,000 homes.
Despite these challenges, both Barratt Redrow and the HBF have welcomed the government’s plans, seeing them as an opportunity to invest in the people and land needed to increase housing supply.
