Campaigns

The FMB’s participation pack has been designed to help FMB members who want to get more involved in the FMB’s campaigning and lobbying activities. It also contains information on publicising your campaigning and lobbying work as well as how to make the most of online communications.

 

You can find out more about the new participation pack here.

 

Find out more about the FMB campaigns below. You can also download current letters to send to your MP below.

With buildings contributing around 45% of the UK's total carbon emissions, the FMB has a key role to play in helping the Government achieve its target to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. The FMB’s Building a Greener Britain campaign aims to get everyone thinking about how to cut carbon from the built environment in order to move towards a greener, more energy efficient Britain with a series of practical policy recommendations.

 

The Green Deal
The Government's Green Deal aims to encourage homeowners and landlords to make energy efficiency improvements to their properties, and has the potential to create thousands of new jobs and significantly cut carbon emissions. However, the FMB thinks the Government still needs to make some improvements to ensure the scheme is a lasting success.
 
Write to your MP to ask them to help improve the Green Deal. Download a template letter to send to your MP by post or by email here (Word, 29 KB).

 

You can find out more about Building a Greener Britain here.

The Energy Bill Revolution
The FMB has joined the Energy Bill Revolution alliance, which calls on the Government to use the money it gets from carbon taxes to make our homes super-energy efficient. From 2013 the Government will be collecting over £2 billion in carbon tax every year, rising to £4 billion by 2020 and £7 billion by 2027. Recycled back into energy efficiency programmes, this would be enough to upgrade more than 600,000 homes a year, rescuing households from fuel poverty and supporting the economic recovery.

You can sign the petition and email your MP by visiting www.energybillrevolution.org

The FMB is a member of the Cut the VAT Coalition, which campaigns to reduce VAT from 20% to 5% for all domester repair, maintenance and improvement work in order to create thousands of jobs in construction and the wider economy. The cut would also help the Government achieve its target of cutting carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. It would benefit millions of UK homeowners and small business by helping to eliminate cowboy builders, helping those who cannot afford vital repairs to their homes, bringing empty properties back into use and reducing fuel poverty.

 

You can find out more about the Cut The VAT campaign here.

Get Britain Building is calling for the creation of a new busines evnironment to help the UK construction industry thrive and prosper even through difficult times. Get Britain Building has developed a ten point plan which it believes will help the British construction sector survive the economic downtrurn. Get Britain Building is supported by a coalition of organisations including the FMB. 

 

You can find out more about Get Britain Building here.

The FMB has linked up with Trading Standards to advise consumers on how they can avoid being ripped off by rogue traders. Through the Nail the Rogues campaign homeowners can find help and advice for spotting and avoiding rogue traders as well as advice about find a reputable builder.

 

Homeowners can also visit the Nail the Rogues website to order free door stickers to help keep rogue traders away.

 

You can find out more about nail the rogues here. 

 

Cut the Carbon is a campaign led by the FMB, CITB-ConstructionSkills and the National Specialists Contractors Council (NSCC). The campaign provides up-to-date information to construction SMEs on the changes in low carbon policy and legislation and helps them to understand what the changes mean for their business. The campaign also helps SMEs find out how to update their skills and qualifications in order to take advantage of the new business opportunities on offer.

 

You can find out more about the Cut the Carbon campaign here.

The Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) is a campaign to increase the number of construction apprenticeships. It is a cross-industry initiative designed to engage with employers and the Government in order to increase this vital investment in the future of the industry. 

 

You can find out more about the CCATF here. 

National Apprenticeship Week, which is organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), is an annual celebration of the talents and skills of apprentices. The week sees apprentices, their employers and providers come together to raise the profile of Apprenticeships amongst employers, learners, parents, stakeholders and the media.

 

Find out more about National Apprenticeship Week here.

Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No 2) (England) Order 2008 - Call for FMB Members’ Evidence