TRAINING UP
5,000 additional new construction apprenticeships were announced by the government on 22 November. Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at the Building Cost Information Service, said:
“In terms of the numbers, 5,000 apprenticeships a year will not be enough to cover those expected to retire/leave the industry annually, so at best, this is not adding additional workers to an industry that has seen close to 350,000 leave the sector over the past five years.”
HOT AND BOTHERED
More than 70 per cent of UK contractors have experienced major weather-related delays in the past year, with extreme heat considered the biggest risk, according to a survey from equipment supplier Aggreko.
FAILURE RATE
Just over 15,000 construction businesses went under in the first 10 months of 2024, data from Companies House shows.
CAPITAL INERTIA
The number of affordable homes started in London fell by 88 per cent year on year during the first quarter of 2024, new statistics from the Office for National Statistics show.
33%
The percentage of UK construction professionals who expect health and safety incidents to increase in their workplace over the winter, according to a survey from technology firm EcoOnline.
2,264
The record annual total of adjudication referrals for construction disputes this year, King’s College London reported.
4,050
The number of non-fatal injuries to construction workers in the year to 31 March 2024, according to the Health and Safety Executive.
£5.4bn
The value of SP Energy Networks’ electricity grid rewiring programme, which will involve tier one firms such as Balfour Beatty and Morgan Sindall.
MATERIAL VARIATION
The price of steel rebar in the UK is expected to fall by 6 per cent while brick prices are expected to rise by 6 per cent in Q4 2024, research from Linesight has found.
