Tweet Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Visit website Submitted ArticlesRelated Articles 149 foundMaking our homes more energy efficient will boost wellbeing, says FMB18/09/2019Making the UK’s homes more energy efficient will reduce energy bills, tackle the scourge of fuel poverty and help address the climate crisis, according to [...]Government delay to VAT change is a victory for common sense, says FMB18/09/2019The Government’s decision to delay by one year the implementation of potentially damaging VAT changes for construction companies is a victory for common sense, says [...]Housing must be part of Chancellor’s ‘infrastructure revolution’, says FMB04/09/2019House building and a new retrofit strategy must form part of the Government’s ‘infrastructure revolution’, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), a policy announced [...]VAT tax change will exacerbate construction downturn, says FMB05/08/2019The Federation of Master Builder (FMB) is calling for a delay to the implementation of Reverse Charge VAT in response to the PMI data published today which shows [...]Construction industry prepares for downturn, warns FMB31/07/2019Construction industry bosses are reorganising their workforce in preparation for a potential downturn, with higher levels of sub-contracting and lower levels of direct employment, according [...]No Cabinet consistency for construction, says FMB26/07/2019Sarah McMonagle, Director of Communications at the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “The slate couldn’t have been wiped any cleaner when it comes to [...]Delay disruptive VAT changes to avoid construction chaos, warns FMB16/07/2019The Government has not properly prepared the construction industry for major VAT changes coming in October and needs to delay their implementation to avoid chaos, [...]Barriers to small house builders need to be removed to deliver housing targets26/06/2019The Government needs to do more to remove the barriers to small to medium-sized (SME) house builders if its housing targets are to be met, [...]Workloads for small builders dip for first time in six years, warns FMB01/05/2019Workloads for small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms have taken a dip for the first time in six years, according to the latest research from [...]Planning must be properly funded if permitted development is scrapped, says FMB26/04/2019If a future Labour Government was to scrap commercial to residential permitted development it must also come forward with proposals to properly resource our chronically [...]More costs and more delays will hamper house building, warns FMB14/03/2019New biodiversity measures will result in more costs and more delays for the nation’s small and medium-sized (SME) house builders, worsening the housing crisis, warns [...]Alarm bells for construction as output plummets, says FMB06/02/2019Rising costs and uncertainty relating to Brexit are to blame for the sharp drop in output growth in January 2019, the Federation of Master Builders [...]Problems are mounting for builders, according to new FMB survey30/01/2019Growth in the construction industry could be held back by a weakening housing market, rising costs and an increasingly nervous banking sector, according to the [...]Homeowners told to plan 7 months ahead for home improvement projects, new FMB research reveals21/01/2019Homeowners must plan up to seven months ahead if they want a successful home improvement project, according to new research by the Federation of Master [...]Construction output rises despite Brexit uncertainty, says FMB11/01/2019The Government must not be complacent about the damage a ‘no deal’ Brexit would cause amid positive signs of growth in the UK construction industry, [...]Consumers twice as likely to be satisfied with homes built by small house builders, new FMB research reveals17/12/2018Consumers are twice as likely to be ‘very satisfied’ with the quality of their new home if it was built by a small and medium-sized [...]Warning signs as construction output flat-lines, says FMB10/12/2018Rising costs and continued uncertainty over Brexit are to blame for the slight drop in construction output, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). [...]Apprenticeships are plummeting because of Apprenticeship Levy, says FMB06/12/2018Apprenticeship starts are falling because of the Apprenticeship Levy which needs to be made more flexible, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The [...]Construction growth slows, says FMB24/10/2018Growth among construction SMEs slowed in most parts of the UK in the third quarter of this year, according to the Federation of Master Builders [...]Half of builders are victims of tool theft, new FMB research reveals18/10/2018Tool theft is plaguing the construction industry with more than half of builders in the UK having had their tools stolen, according to new research [...]Co-living and micro-homes most popular solutions to housing crisis, new FMB research reveals15/10/2018Building more co-living developments and micro-homes in urban areas top the list of people’s preferred solutions to the housing crisis according to new research by [...]Surveying the industry13/09/2018Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, explains the company’s annual House Builders’ Survey, and explores what the Government could do to alleviate the issues [...]Skills shortage will hamper housing delivery, FMB research reveals12/09/2018Small house builders predict that skills shortages in the building industry will hamper housing delivery and will eventually overtake access to finance as a bigger [...]Solving the skills crisis is top of my agenda, says new FMB National President10/09/2018Attracting more young people into the sector is top of the agenda for Arthur McArdle, the new National President of the Federation of Master Builders [...]Drop in EU migrant workers sounds alarm bells for UK construction, says FMB23/08/2018The drop in EU net migration has sounded alarm bells for the UK construction industry, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said in response [...]No sign of Brexit nerves in construction, says FMB25/07/2018Construction SMEs enjoyed rising workloads in the second quarter of 2018, despite continuing concerns over skills shortages and increasing costs, according to the Federation of [...]Three quarters of NI builders say political deadlock will dampen growth, warns FMB NI18/07/2018Three-quarters of small building firms in Northern Ireland say that unless politicians end the deadlock in Stormont, the ability of their firm to grow and [...]Construction needs clarity on post-Brexit visa rules, says FMB13/07/2018Responding to the release of the Government's Brexit White Paper, the FMB has stressed the need for certainty and stability, and called on the Government to [...]Nearly 80% of builders and consumers support licensing construction, says FMB03/07/2018Almost 80 per cent of builders and home owners are calling on the Government to introduce a licensing scheme for the UK construction industry to [...]New apprenticeship standards signed off by Government27/06/2018New higher quality bricklayer and plasterer apprenticeships have received final sign-off by the Government, after a rigorous development process. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders [...]Alarm bells over construction output fall, says FMB11/06/2018The Beast from the East, rising costs and Brexit are to blame for the sharp drop in construction output, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) [...]SME builders now better represented on CITB Board, says FMB04/06/2018The appointment of two construction SME representatives to the CITB Board is an important step forward, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting [...]Government must be realistic about skills of construction T Level students, says FMB30/05/2018The Government must be realistic about the capabilities and work-readiness of students who have completed construction T Levels, according to the Federation of Master Builders [...]Nearly 60 per cent of people wrongly assume millennials are hopeless around the house, new FMB research reveals18/05/2018Well over half of people wrongly assume that millennials are useless when it comes to carrying out practical jobs around the home, according to new [...]Government must transform how it works with construction post-Carillion, says FMB16/05/2018The Government must learn from Carillion by enforcing fair payment and opening up public sector contracts to smaller firms, according to the Federation of Master [...]Nearly 80% of builders call for licensing scheme to crush the cowboys, says FMB10/05/2018Almost 80% of builders are calling for more regulation in the construction industry to end the tyranny of cowboy builders, according to the Federation of [...]Small builders resilient despite material price hikes, says FMB03/05/2018The workloads of small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms grew slightly in the first three months of this year despite record numbers of builders reporting [...]New Housing Secretary must unleash potential of small builders, says FMB01/05/2018Commenting on the announcement that James Brokenshire MP has been appointed the new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Brian Berry, Chief [...]Material prices continue to rocket, says FMB20/04/2018More than half of small building firms say that rising material prices are squeezing their margins and the same percentage have had to pass these [...]SME builders and Unite the union agree 3.1% pay rise over the next year16/04/2018The Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) has agreed a one year deal involving a 3.1% pay rise to come into effect in [...]Warning signs for construction as output drops, says FMB04/04/2018Snowy weather, rising costs and uncertainty relating to Brexit are to blame for the sharp drop in construction output, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) [...]You can add £50k in 7 days to the value of your home, says FMB and HOA26/03/2018It is possible to add almost £50,000 to the value of your home in just seven days, according to new research from the Federation of [...]Spring Statement should signal end of unfair payment, says FMB16/03/2018The Chancellor’s announcement of a new consultation on late payment should be the beginning of the end for unfair payment practices which hit small businesses [...]Small sites and small builders will build homes faster, says FMB08/03/2018The best way to speed up housing delivery is to get more small builders back into the market and focus more attention on the potential [...]Too cold to lay bricks, says FMB01/03/2018A number of construction sites across the UK have ground to a halt due to heavy snow, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). [...]Drop in apprenticeship starts shows need to reform levy, says FMB23/02/2018Apprenticeship starts have decreased by a more than third in November 2017 compared with November 2016, highlighting the need to reform the apprenticeship levy system, [...]Consumer fears over cowboy builders costs UK economy £10bn, new FMB research reveals14/02/2018The UK economy is missing out on £10 billion each year because home owners are so fearful of hiring a cowboy builder, they simply don’t [...]The future of UK housing policy14/02/2018After a year has passed, Brian Berry revisits the Housing White Paper and contemplates the future of Government housing policy. It was about a year [...]Carillion’s demise raises concerns about Government’s reliance on large contractors, says FMB15/01/2018The Government must learn from Carillion’s demise and assess its over-reliance on major contractors, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting on this morning’s announcement that Carillion is to enter [...]Construction bosses fear EU workers won’t return to UK after Christmas, says FMB21/12/2017The UK construction industry needs its highly-valued EU workers, who might be travelling home for Christmas, to come back after the festive break, according to [...]Hackitt Review to reform Building Regs backed by FMB19/12/2017The initial findings of the Hackitt Review offer a positive step forward to address a multitude of failings within the construction industry and among its regulators, according [...]The case for reforming the CITB15/12/2017Brian Berry says that the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) still has a key role to play, but changes are necessary to make it fit [...]90% of MPs say converting empty spaces above shops could help solve the housing crisis, new FMB research reveals12/12/2017More than 90 per cent of MPs think that converting empty spaces above shops could help reverse the current housing shortage, according to new research [...]Consumers twice as likely to be satisfied with homes built by small house builders, new FMB research reveals06/12/2017Consumers are twice as likely to be ‘very satisfied’ with the quality of their new home if it was built by a small and medium-sized [...]Two-thirds of NIMBYs concerned about house prices15/11/2017Two-thirds of NIMBYs admit to being frustrated that the next generation can’t afford to buy their own home, according to the latest research by the [...]Chancellor must improve access to finance for small builders, says FMB08/11/2017The Chancellor must take bold action in the forthcoming Budget to improve access to finance for SME builders if he wants to tackle the housing [...]Encouraging small site development07/11/2017Brian Berry explains how planning reforms could improve on the current lack of available small sites, while speeding up housing delivery. I’ve written about the [...]Three quarters of UK builders under threat from ‘cowboy clients’, new FMB research reveals06/11/2017Three quarters of construction SMEs say ‘cowboy clients’ are hampering their business, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Key [...]Warning signs for construction as growth slows, says FMB23/10/2017Growth among construction SMEs slowed in most parts of the UK in the third quarter of this year, according to the Federation of Master Builders [...]Builders slam hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, says FMB16/10/2017A hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic would be damaging to the NI construction sector, according to new research by the Federation of [...]Welsh Government’s move to tackle access to finance for small builders is timely, says FMB Cymru25/09/2017The Welsh Government’s announcement that £30m will be pumped into the Wales Property Development Fund to improve access to finance for small Welsh construction firms [...]Cable right to call for councils to build, says FMB20/09/2017Lib Dem Leader Vince Cable is right to call on the Government to allow local councils to borrow to build, the Federation of Master Builders [...]The Right to Build13/09/2017Brian Berry explains how SME housebuilders could benefit from working more closely with the fast-growing self- and custom-build sector. Many housebuilders and developers, especially those [...]Lack of land and lending is blocking new homes, FMB research reveals12/09/2017A lack of available small sites and a lack of finance top the list of barriers to SME house builders increasing their delivery of new [...]CLC doesn’t represent small building firms, says FMB31/08/2017The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) needs to increase its representation of construction SMEs and better reflect the building industry, according to the Federation of Master [...]Housing White Paper must be implemented, says FMB21/08/2017The only way we will increase the number of new homes we are building is if Ministers act now to implement measures in the Government’s [...]The CIL: Nothing is more (UN)certain than taxes09/08/2017Taking over Brian Berry’s regular column slot this month, FMB director of external affairs Sarah McMonagle gives a qualified welcome to the Community Infrastructure Levy [...]Material prices are soaring, says FMB31/07/2017A third of small building firms say that soaring material prices are squeezing their margins and almost a quarter have had to pass these price [...]Growth slows for construction SMEs, says FMB26/07/2017The SME construction sector grew in the second quarter of 2017, albeit at a slower rate than the first three months of the year, according [...]Culture of collaboration11/07/2017A hung parliament demands a greater focus on cross-party, collaborative working to unlock housing delivery. As the dust begins to settle after the General Election, those working in [...]CITB’s future dependent on fundamental change, says FMB10/07/2017The Government’s decision to support the continuation of CITB, is the right decision for our industry, but only if it is subject to fundamental reform, [...]The state of play06/06/2017Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, considers the effect of the state playing a far more active role in the sector An interesting development [...]Green plans on retrofitting a lesson to other parties, says FMB22/05/2017The other major political parties should take note of the Green Party’s plans to insulate nine million existing homes, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) [...]Immigration and skills key to success of next Government, says FMB02/05/2017The next Government must ensure the construction sector has enough skilled workers post-Brexit or its housing and infrastructure manifesto pledges will be redundant, says the [...]Builders bullish despite rising costs, says FMB24/04/2017Small construction firms enjoyed rising workloads in the first quarter of 2017, despite growing concerns over the cost of labour and materials, according to the [...]Are we set up to provide skills?11/04/2017Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, tackles the growing skills crisis in the UK Tackling the skills crisis is one of the biggest challenges [...]50% of householders more likely to hire builders who employ apprentices06/03/2017Consumers prefer to hire firms that train apprentices, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). On the first day of National [...]Hike in insurance tax will hit home owners, says FMB and ABI27/02/2017The latest hike to Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will undermine good builders who play by the rules and encourage the rise of cowboy builders, the [...]Construction skills shortage gets worse, warns FMB31/01/2017The skills shortage in the construction industry has got worse and has now spread beyond bricklayers and carpenters to other key trades, according to the [...]70% of builders report material price hikes, warns FMB09/01/201770% of UK builders have seen an increase in material prices due to the depreciation of the pound, new research from the Federation of Master [...]Starter Homes a good foundation, says FMB05/01/2017The Government announcement, which gives the green light for the construction of thousands of Starter Homes, is welcome but greater challenges lie ahead if we [...]Planning cuts make housing targets impossible, says new FMB/LGiU research13/12/2016Nearly 90 per cent of local authorities believe that the Government’s housing targets will be impossible to meet due to a lack of planning resources, according [...]House building moving in the right direction, says FMB16/11/2016The rise in house building completions is helping to tackle the housing crisis, but more work needs to be done if the Government is to [...]Allow councils to borrow to build new homes, says FMB09/11/2016The Federation of Master Builders (FM) is calling on the Government to give local authorities borrowing powers so they can build more social homes to [...]Demand for building work bucks Brexit, says FMB19/10/2016Consumer demand for building work remained resilient in the three months following the vote for Brexit, new figures from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) [...]New funding for SME builders will ease housing crisis, says FMB03/10/2016The creation of a dedicated fund aimed at lending to SME house builders will help to tackle the housing crisis, the Federation of Master Builders [...]Labour ‘interventionist’ policy on housing finance could be welcome, says FMB28/09/2016Labour’s Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell is right to highlight the access to finance problems faced by SMEs, and he would do well to apply his [...]SME house builders have nowhere to build, new FMB research reveals22/09/2016Two thirds of SME house builders are struggling to identify land for development, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). For [...]Shelter right to back SME house builders, says FMB24/08/2016The Government could miss its target to build one million new homes by 2020 unless it unlocks the potential of SME house builders, says the [...]New apprenticeship funding ‘fair settlement’, says FMB12/08/2016New apprenticeship funding proposals announced today by the Government look like a ‘fair settlement for small employers’, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). [...]Government action needed to stave off construction recession, says FMB29/07/2016A significant programme of capital investment by the Government is now needed to tackle the threat of a construction recession - as revealed by the [...]FMB calls for "radical solutions" to the housing crisis20/07/2016The Federation of Master Builders has called on the new Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell to build on the positive legacy of Brandon Lewis. FMB's chief [...]PM wrong to axe climate department, says FMB15/07/2016The Federation of Master Builders criticised Theresa May's decision to shut the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The new Prime Minister's move to scrap DECC came at [...]FMB urges council housebuilding 'renaissance' in wake of Brexit06/07/2016Calls for a ‘national renaissance’ in council housebuilding should be heeded in the wake of current economic uncertainty, according to the Federation of Master Builders [...]EU exit delivery plan needed to boost construction sector, says FMB04/07/2016New construction statistics for June, which show the weakest sector performance for seven years, are a cautionary sign of the damage that current uncertainty is [...]Apprenticeships progress endangered by Levy uncertainty, warns FMB08/06/2016Growth in apprenticeship numbers in Scotland could be scuppered unless the Scottish Government commits to ring-fencing the new UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy for training, the Federation [...]Offsite construction can unlock success for housebuilders in skills shortage trap31/05/2016Offsite construction of new homes could overcome year-end pressures on housebuilders struggling with the skills and materials shortage in the building industry. With a key [...]EU Referendum: Over two thirds of SMEs don't see positive consequences of remaining within the EU23/05/2016Over two thirds of bosses of small construction firms do not believe remaining in the European Union would have any positive impact on their business, according to [...]FMB: Government approves new apprenticeship standard for plastering17/05/2016A high-quality new apprenticeship standard for plastering has been approved by the Government as part of the trailblazer initiative, with a new bricklaying standard to [...]SME house builders boosted by Section 106 ruling, says FMB12/05/2016The Appeal Court’s decision to uphold a Government initiative to waive affordable housing requirements for small developments is a boost for SMEs and house building, [...]Khan’s affordable housing targets would hurt SMEs, warns FMB04/05/2016Sadiq Khan’s welcome focus on construction skills risks being overshadowed by an unrealistic affordable housing policy, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned ahead [...]Lords’ amendments could stifle housing delivery, says FMB28/04/2016House of Lords amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill, which would target small development sites for expensive affordable housing contributions and increase regulations and [...]NI’s ‘lost generation’ of builders need leadership, says FMB19/04/2016The next Executive in Northern Ireland must act decisively to support the construction sector, or risk creating a ‘lost generation’ of builders, the Federation of [...]Goldsmith’s London housing vision needs SMEs to succeed, says FMB12/04/2016Zac Goldsmith’s manifesto for London is right to identify small local builders as vital to addressing the capital’s crisis, but fails to go far enough, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has [...]Nearly 60% of construction bosses start their careers as an apprentice, reveals FMB14/03/2016Nearly 60% of SME construction owners started their career as an apprentice, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) ahead of [...]Local housebuilders can deliver quality and quantity, says FMB19/02/2016Small local house builders are best placed to ensure that increasing the quantity of homes does not reduce the quality of homes, the Federation of [...]Fast track planning urgently needed, says FMB18/02/2016Government proposals to offer a fast track planning process for house building are needed urgently, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, [...]Council Tax misuse hitting SME house builders, warns FMB15/02/2016Central Government must prevent local authorities from hindering SME developers with unfair Council Tax burdens, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned ahead of [...]Council Tax proposals may damage house building, warns FMB07/01/2016Charging Council Tax on unbuilt developments could decrease house building numbers by deterring SME house builders, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response [...]400K homes at risk from skills shortage, warns FMB25/11/2015The construction skills shortage could scupper the Chancellor’s vision for 400,000 new affordable homes, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to today’s [...]Common sense on zero carbon will boost housing supply, says FMB13/07/2015The Government’s decision to remove unnecessary zero carbon standards for new homes will boost the supply of housing via small and medium-sized (SME) house builders, [...]Chancellor’s planning changes “major step towards solving the housing crisis”, says FMB10/07/2015The Government has taken a major step towards solving the country’s housing crisis and improving productivity, with bold new changes to support house builders, according [...]SMEs could deliver 20,000 more homes with better access to finance03/07/2015The SME house building sector could deliver an additional 20,000 homes per year if their access to finance was improved, putting a significant dent in [...]Planning stats conceal barriers to house building, says FMB01/07/2015The latest planning permission figures from the Government reveal a welcome increase in permissions being granted but do not equate to homes actually being built, [...]Scottish Government “shames” Westminster on energy efficiency, says FMB15/06/2015The Scottish Government has shamed the UK government by prioritising the energy efficiency of existing buildings, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Following [...]Queen’s Speech: Housing targets will falter without apprenticeships27/05/2015The Government must succeed in its aim to create millions of apprenticeships over the lifetime of this Parliament if it is to solve the housing [...]New BIS Secretary right to tackle late payment, says FMB20/05/2015Proposals by the New Business Secretary, Sajid Javid MP, to combat late payments to small firms have been cautiously welcomed by the Federation of Master [...]Greens pledge to cut VAT on housing repairs07/04/2015The Green Party has today pledged to cut VAT on housing repairs and renovations. Currently the VAT rate on repairs and renovations is 20% but, [...]Conservative Housing Plans Need to Focus on Small Builders, says FMB02/03/2015Conservative Party plans to deliver 200,000 new homes for first-time buyers is a welcome ambition but needs to be delivered by a range of builders [...]Construction skills time bomb is ticking30/01/2015A construction skills time bomb is ticking, with skills shortages on the increase across a number of trades and professions, according to the Federation of [...]We must build 200,000 homes a year by 2020, says FMB29/01/2015Government and industry must collaborate to build at least 200,000 homes a year by 2020 in order to tackle the housing crisis, according to the [...]Council planning budgets should be ring fenced, says FMB16/12/2014Council planning departments should be treated as front line services and protected from local authority spending cuts, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). [...]Infrastructure announcement boosts housing, says FMB03/12/2014Announcements made by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander MP today as part of the publication of the National Infrastructure Plan place housing [...]Small sites exemption will help build more homes, says FMB19/11/2014An exemption for small sites from the off-site elements of the zero carbon standard will allow more new homes to be built by small local [...]Don’t be scared of your builder, says FMB05/11/2014Home owners who fear being ripped off by their builder should insist on a written contract, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The FMB’s [...]House building propels SME construction sector, says FMB16/10/2014House building is leading the growth in the SME construction sector but the industry has a long way to go to recover to pre-recession levels, [...]Lib Dem 300,000 housing target easier said than done, says FMB07/10/2014The Liberal Democrats’ pledge to build 300,000 new homes needs to be underpinned by a pro-SME housing strategy if it has any hope of being [...]Who will build Cameron’s new homes? asks FMB02/10/2014The Prime Minister’s pledge to build 100,000 new homes for young first time buyers is a welcome step to help address the housing crisis, but [...]Builders Finance Fund failing to help small house builders, says FMB09/09/2014The Government’s ‘Builders Finance Fund’ is not helping the small house builders it was designed to assist, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian [...]Diversity Needed in London’s House Building Industry, says FMB11/08/2014London’s house building industry needs to be much more open to competitiveness and diversity if the number of new homes needed in the capital is [...]Labour’s ‘Help to Build’ could assist small house builders28/07/2014The Labour Party’s proposed ‘Help to Build’ scheme, which would provide government guarantees for loans to SME house builders, has been welcomed by the Federation [...]Government needs to lift borrowing cap to deliver homes, says FMB08/07/2014The Local Government Association (LGA) is right to be calling on the government to lift the borrowing cap to allow councils to build more new [...]Custom build fund can help diversify the house building industry, says FMB27/06/2014The new £150 million government fund to help finance plots for custom build housing is good news for both homebuyers and the house building industry, [...]Zero carbon exemption will create more local homes, says FMB03/06/2014Recent press reports stating that small housing developments will be exempt from some zero carbon homes requirements is a positive move towards helping to create [...]Builders fund excludes micro-builders, warns FMB30/04/2014The government’s new £525 million Builders Finance Fund will improve access to finance for some small house builders but the minimum threshold of 15 units [...]Building recovery under threat, warns FMB30/04/2014The economic recovery in the SME construction sector is under threat from rising building costs and material shortages warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). [...]Government intervention to finance small house builders welcomed by FMB20/03/2014The Chancellor’s Budget announcement of a £500 million Builders Finance Fund for small house builders will provide a major boost for housing supply and has [...]Labour’s Help to Build would complement Help to Buy, says FMB18/03/2014The Labour Party’s proposal for a ‘Help to Build’ guarantee scheme to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized (SME) house builders would be [...]House building growth slowing, warns FMB27/01/2014The pace of growth in private housing slowed in the last three months of 2013 according to the latest economic survey from the Federation of [...]FMB backs Labour call for ‘army of small builders’ to boost house building 13/01/2014Increasing the number of small house builders is the key to delivering the number of new homes this country needs, which is why Labour's call [...]Government is listening to small house builders, says FMB06/12/2013The Government’s commitment to consult on reducing affordable housing contributions for small developments has been welcomed by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, [...]Chancellor must deliver on promise to invest in Britain’s homes05/12/2013The Chancellor has missed a golden opportunity to reverse decades of underinvestment in Britain’s ageing housing infrastructure by not implementing a reduced rate of VAT [...]Chancellor must make housing his top infrastructure priority21/11/2013The Chancellor must prioritise investment Britain’s ageing housing stock by reducing VAT on renovation and repair work and investing public money in improving the homes [...]Finance schemes for builders ‘must be simplified’ warns Federation of Master Builders04/11/2013Finance schemes designed to help construction SMEs need to be simplified if they are to aid the economic recovery, warns the Federation of Master Builders [...]Cut red tape to boost house-building says FMB21/08/2013Moves to cut red-tape by streamlining housing standards would be a major boost to Britain’s small and medium-sized house builders, and will help to increase [...]Low-carbon regulations will hinder housing supply31/07/2013New building standards announced today will hinder the supply of new housing, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Reforms to Part L of the [...]Support SMEs to build on help to buy, says FMB26/07/2013The Government needs to incentivise smaller housing developers to build more homes to help meet the rising demand sparked by the Help to Buy scheme, [...]Builders see workloads increase but recovery still not certain08/07/2013Overall builders’ workloads across Britain have begun to increase for the first time since the economic downturn began, according to the latest research from the [...]Improving the image of building industry is essential03/07/2013The Government is right to identify the need to improve the image of the building industry, to help drive up standards and improve consumer protection, [...] 21 foundUK Finance and FMB launch guide to development finance for SME housebuilders05/10/2018SME housebuilders are to be given help in navigating the development finance process and accessing the funding they need, following the publication of a new guide by [...]Wide-ranging housing package announced in Budget22/11/2017The Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond delivered his Autumn Budget with a package of measures intended to address what he said was the “challenge [...]Lord Henley appointed as construction minister30/10/2017Lord Henley, who until June was a junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, has been appointed as construction minister. His appointment comes [...]Bringing home the barriers to SME building16/10/2017Brian Berry details some of the key issues SME builders are facing as reflected in the organisation’s recent House Builders’ Survey, and what Government needs [...]The Industry Advocate09/05/2017After the shock election announcement, Brian Berry looks at what the next Government’s construction priorities need to be Even by the standards of the time, [...]Autumn Statement 2016 - key announcements and reactions23/11/2016See the latest industry reactions The Chancellor of Exchequer Phillip Hammond delivered his Autumn Statement in his first budget speech since taking office in July. [...]DECC cull criticised08/08/2016Theresa May’s decision to scrap the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has been criticised by the FMB as “alarming” as it “signals that improving [...]The industry advocate08/08/2016In his first instalment of a series of exclusive monthly columns for HBD, the chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders Brian Berry gives [...]Report slams Cameron’s housebuilding legacy08/08/2016Research commissioned by John Healey MP is claimed to show a failure by David Cameron on housebuilding, with figures showing the number of houses built [...]Barwell given Housing and Planning brief at “critical juncture”08/08/2016With Brandon Lewis moving to the position of Minister of State for policing and the fire service, the housing industry has a new Housing and [...]UK needs new council house building programme to address shortfall post-Brexit13/07/2016The Federation of Master Builders has welcomed the Local Government Association’s call for a “renaissance” in council house building in the wake of the vote [...]Brexit: Construction industry reactions to EU referendum results24/06/2016The results of the EU referendum are counted and it is revealed Britain has voted 52% against 48% in favour of a Brexit. Here we share the [...]Lords’ amendments to Bill could stifle housing delivery, says FMB09/05/2016House of Lords amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill, which would target small development sites for expensive affordable housing contributions and increase regulations and [...]Summer Budget 2015: comments09/07/2015The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave his summer Budget to Parliament on Wednesday 8 July 2015. Listed is a selection of comments on the key [...]Greg Clark tells departments to ‘loosen their grip’11/06/2015Not resting on his laurels, newly appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark has alreay made his first announcement. Promoted from [...]Small builders face barriers to growth23/10/2014Small housebuilders and developers in the UK face serious barriers to growth, with planning, access to finance and land availability highlighted as the biggest challenges [...]Cross-party focus on housing and infrastructure will deliver jobs and growth08/09/2014Cross-party consensus on how best to deliver new housing and infrastructure projects would result in 200,000 new jobs in the construction sector, according to the [...]No room for complacency in construction safety, RoSPA conference will hear11/03/2014A RoSPA conference for the construction industry will hear that effort is still needed on safety and health despite recent reductions in injuries. The event, [...]Government must slash refurb VAT to boost economy by £15 billion04/03/2014A VAT reduction on housing renovation and repair could boost the UK economy by more than £15 billion from 2015 to 2020 according to a [...]Housing minister calls for a dynamic housing market in which SMEs can thrive01/10/2013At an event hosted by the National Federation of Builders (NFB) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), Housing Minister Mark Prisk called for an [...]Labour government would build houses on a grand scale, says Jack Dromey24/09/2013Speaking at a joint NFB and FMB fringe event at the Labour Party conference, Shadow Housing Minister Jack Dromey MP said a Labour government would [...] ×Contact details Gordon Fisher House 14/15 Great James Street London WC1N 3DP Enquiries
