Ahead of this Friday’s ‘mini-budget’, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) urges the Chancellor of the Exchequer to prioritise the growth potential of a nationwide retrofit programme as the best way to ward off insolvencies in the building market and to help households tackle soring energy bills this winter.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said “While direct government intervention to help struggling homeowners and businesses with energy bills is welcome, it is ultimately a sticking plaster. Long-term, we must improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s leaky homes to reduce their energy use. A nationwide retrofit plan to make our existing 29 million homes greener and more energy efficient would help slash energy bills and create a pipeline of work for local builders, delivering the growth that the Chancellor rightly prioritises. In the immediate term, removing VAT on repair, maintenance and improvement work would help builders pass on savings to cash strapped customers who the latest FMB data tells us, are beginning to turn away from investing in home improvements.”
Notes to editors
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is the largest trade association in the UK construction industry representing thousands of firms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Established in 1941 to protect the interests of small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms, the FMB is independent and non-profit making, lobbying for members’ interests at both the national and local level.
The FMB is a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, providing a range of modern and relevant business building services to help them succeed. The FMB is committed to raising quality in the construction industry and offers a free Find a Builder service to consumers.
