Tag Archives: government
Bureaucracy preventing small UK building firms from taking on apprentices
A third of small construction firms in the UK are being put off from taking on apprentices because of the bureaucracy involved, according to a new research report. The construction industry is in the midst of a skills crisis which can only be solved if more employers take on apprentices, says the report from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The research shows that 94% of small construction firms want to train apprentices but a third are being turned off by a number of serious ‘fear factors’. These include the cost of employing and training an apprentice and major concerns regarding the complexity of the process. ‘There is strong evidence to show that small construction firms need better information and that if they were more aware of the support that’s available, a great number would train apprentices,’ said Brian Berry, FMB chief executive. The research also found that just under 80% of non-recruiters are not aware of one of the most important apprenticeship grants available to them and just over 75% say knowledge of financial support would make them more likely to take on apprentices. ‘Given that two thirds of all construction apprentices are trained by SMEs it is critical that the Government does everything in its power to remove any barriers that might be stopping these companies from training,’ Berry explained. ‘Looking ahead, the Government’s new apprenticeship voucher could be a disaster for small firms unless it is properly road tested and made as simple and easy to use as possible. We’re also calling on the Government to protect our industry training board which is at risk from the new Apprenticeship Levy,’ he pointed out. ‘The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) needs reform admittedly but without it the very smallest firms would be left with less financial and practical support for apprenticeship training. Remove this lifeline and you risk worsening the skills crisis,’ he added. The report is published at the same time as another piece of research which shows that construction and trade positions make up just 7% of all apprenticeships, down from a high of 12% in 2006. The research from small business insurer Direct Line for Business also shows that while the number of total apprenticeships has increased by 57% in the last five years to 434,630 during 2013/2014, only two construction and trade focused apprenticeships rank in the top 10, construction skills at nine and industrial applications at 10. This is vastly different to 2006/2007 when construction skills apprenticeships topped the table, with more than 20,000 apprenticeships undertaken in this field. ‘Construction and trade based skills are vital to the UK economy. It’s tradespeople who come to the rescue when our boiler fails, and are the ones who are working every day to build homes, offices and help improve our roads,’ said Nick Breton, head of Direct Line for Business. ‘Apprenticeships are important for budding builders, plumbers and electricians to get into the workplace. With fewer people in apprenticeships there is a… Continue reading
UK home values rose almost £1.4 billion per day in 2015
The UK’s 28.6 million homes grew in value by almost £1.4 billion per day in 2015 with Brentford, West Drayton and Thame seeing the largest increases, new research shows. Brentford in London saw prices increase by 24% and West Drayton and Thame both by 17%, according to the data from property website Zoopla, while Wales saw the lowest prices gains at 2.2% over the last 12 months. The figures show that homes are now worth a combined £7.76 trillion with the total value of residential properties up by 7.2% or £519 billion in 2015. This means that the average British property is now worth £290,827. Home owners in London have seen the highest price growth in 2015 of any region, with an 11.8% annual uplift. The East of England follows closely with an 11.6% rise, up from 9.6% during 2014. However, property owners in Wales and Scotland saw the lowest growth in house prices in the last 12 months, with values rising just 2.2% and 2.7% respectively. London, Edinburgh, and Bristol were the top three most searched for locations by British house hunters on Zoopla in 2015. Northern areas also performed well, with Glasgow rising in the rankings, moving from sixth place in 2014 to fourth place this year, while Leeds broke into the top 10, coming in eighth. Amongst the most popular keyword searches over the past year were ‘bungalow’, ‘cottage’ and ‘village’, with aspirational property also searchers for homes offering a ‘pool’ and a ‘sea view.’ ‘Whilst the property market typically slows at this time of the year, prices have performed well in 2015, with some standout towns such as Brentford faring particularly well. Regions like East Anglia continue to boom as professionals and families seek out properties beyond the London commuter belt,’ said Lawrence Hall of Zoopla. ‘Even regions like Wales, where growth has typically been very incremental, have totalled respectable annual growth rates. Of course, to every silver lining there must be a cloud and the price rises we’re seeing do make it harder for those looking to take their first step onto the ladder,’ he pointed out. ‘But with Government Help to Buy schemes still in place and the promise of new homes to ease demand both buyers and sellers should have at least some reason to be upbeat as we go into 2016,’ he added. Continue reading
Scottish rents up just 0.1% in November, latest index shows
Scottish residential rental growth has almost ground to a halt in the run up to the festive holiday season with the average monthly rent up in November by 0.1% month on month. This takes the average rent to £546 per month with the data from the Your Move Scotland buy to let index showing that growth has fallen from a 0.2% rise between September and October. On an annual basis, the pace of rent rises in Scotland is also continuing to decline. November marks the fifth successive month where annual rent growth has slowed. With Scottish rents now just 1.4% higher than a year ago, the pace of annual rent rises has more than halved since the June peak when rents were up 3.1% year on year. But the headline figures disguise rises in some locations. For example, in Edinburgh and the Lothians rents increased to a new peak of £635 per month with a 0.8% monthly rise in November. The index data also shows that landlord total returns have increased to 6% across Scotland led by Glasgow and Clyde at 9.8% and the buy to let sector has seen its first fall in tenant arrears for six months. According to Brian Moran, lettings director at Your Move Scotland, the market is now set for change in 2016 with an extra 3% stamp duty tax set to be in place from April and rent control proposals looming. He reckons it will result in fewer properties available for rent which could push up prices. ‘Fresh supply is likely to be put on ice. Rents will then be ultimately be vulnerable to the shrinking pool of available homes for let. Landlords and the private rented sector have become a popular target for the Government recently but any attempts to curb investment in the private rented sector, and undermine landlords, will only have an adverse effect on tenants’ rents,’ he said. A breakdown of the index figures shows that as well as Edinburgh and the Lothians seeing growth above average, rents in the South of Scotland climbed 0.2% and those in the South were up 0.1%. Glasgow and Clyde saw the most significant monthly fall in rents, down 0.6% and the Highlands and Islands saw a 0.1% decrease in average rents since October. The picture is also mixed on an annual basis, with only three of the five regions of Scotland seeing rents increase in the past year. The Highlands and Islands saw rents rise 5.8% year on year, taking the average to £569. The next strongest annual increase was in the South of Scotland, up 3.1% and in Edinburgh and the Lothians typical rents are now 2.9% higher than in November 2014. Compared to a year ago, Glasgow and Clyde saw the biggest drop in rents, down 1.3% while average rents in the East of Scotland were down 0.1% year on year. After five months of successive rises, tenant arrears in Scotland… Continue reading
