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Skills Shortage Threatens Construction Targets
Although new job postings dropped 10% in February, there were one-and-a-half million advertised jobs that nobody has taken. One of the biggest areas where...
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Labour Breaks Pre-Election Homes Promise
Government plans to train 60,000 new construction workers to support its home building targets by 2029 have been ridiculed by the host of a national radio station – and Labour has cut 200,000 homes out of its pre-election promised target.
The government plans to spend £625 million on funding for apprenticeships, technical colleges and skills bootcamps to address labour shortages in the sector.
In response to this, Clive Holland, broadcaster on Fix Radio for builders and tradespeople says these measures don’t come close to solving Britain’s skills crisis.
He also points our that Labour committed to building 1.5 million homes and is now only committing to 1.3 million.
The Clive Holland Show
The host of the Clive Holland Show says: "The government’s plan to train 60,000 new construction workers is a step in the right direction, yet it doesn’t come close to solving Britain’s skills crisis. Fix Radio's own National Construction Audit shows that nearly half a million Brits have already faced year-long waits for a builder or handyman, while a further 300,000 have waited just as long for a roofer. The industry is also already short-staffed, and with one in five tradespeople over 50 and a third of the workforce set to leave by 2030, the gap is only going to grow. We need 225,000 extra workers by 2027 just to meet current demand - 60,000 barely makes a dent.”
Construction Sector Training Board
The Construction Sector Training Board estimates the sector will need 251,000 additional workers by 2028 to replace retirees and meet demand. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that Labour’s planning reforms will increase housebuilding to a 40-year high, yet projections indicate 1.3 million homes will be built by 2029 - 200,000 short of Labour’s promised target.
Concerns also remain about business costs. In April, increases to National Insurance contributions and the National Living Wage have placed additional financial pressure on employers. While the government’s training initiative could help alleviate workforce shortages, construction firms may be reluctant to expand hiring without further incentives. The success of Labour’s housing targets will depend not only on workforce expansion but also on whether the broader economic environment supports increased construction activity.
Holland concludes: If the government is serious about hitting its 1.5 million homes target, though it has admitted that it's more likely to be 1.3 million, it needs to stop treating construction as an afterthought. That means real investment in apprenticeships, better incentives for young people to join the trades and a strategy to keep skilled workers in the industry. The workforce isn’t just shrinking – it’s ageing. Unless we make construction an attractive career, the crisis will deepen.”
Picture: Clive Holland.
Article written by Cathryn Ellis
22nd April 2025