March 2026 Update
SPRA Awards 2026 – Limited Tickets & Entry Deadline Approaching
The countdown is on for the SPRA Awards 2026, taking place on Wednesday 1st July 2026 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. This flagship industry event will once again bring the sector together to celebrate excellence, innovation, and outstanding achievements.
Award Entries
There is still time to showcase your best projects, innovations, and successes from the past year – but the deadline is approaching. Don’t miss your opportunity to gain recognition across the industry.
Submit your entries here: SPRA Awards Submission
Tickets – Limited availability
Tickets are selling quickly and availability is now limited. Secure your place to join colleagues from across the industry for a day of recognition, celebration, and valuable networking.
Get your tickets here: SPRA Awards Tickets
For any questions, email enquiries@spra.co.uk.
SPRA & ICB Contractor Open Day – Almost Here
There’s not long to go until the SPRA & ICB Contractor Open Day on Wednesday 18 March 2026, and there are still a few spaces remaining. If you’re planning to attend, now is the time to secure your place.
Hosted by SPRA and ICB (Waterproofing), the session is ideal for those involved in procurement, contracts, design, estimating, site management, or surveying. The event will cover key topics including legal duties, training opportunities, and competence standards, along with a presentation from ICB and the chance to network with industry colleagues over lunch.
Date: Wednesday 18 March 2026
Time: 10:15 – 13:15 (registration from 09:45)
Location: ICB (Waterproofing), NG16 1AA
Places are limited and filling quickly, so don’t miss your chance to attend.
To sign up or for more information, please email enquiries@spra.co.uk.
NextGen Update
Thank you to all SPRA contractor members who completed the recent contractors survey – your feedback is greatly appreciated. We are now using the information gathered to help drive positive change within the industry.
The SPRA NextGen working group continues to promote single ply roofing and highlight the career opportunities available, including engagement with ex-military personnel through BFRS events.
BFRS Confirmed 2026 Events:
- Aldershot – 14 May 2026
- Tidworth – 17 September 2026
- Catterick – 26 November 2026
If you would like to get involved with the NextGen working group, please contact nextgen@spra.co.uk.
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP) – Online Sessions
These highly popular online sessions, suitable for both SPRA members and non-members, are designed around the SPRA guidance document: Wind Loading – Protocol for Calculations (S11b/19).
The course consists of three 2-hour online sessions, covering the guidance in detail with extensive references to the relevant standards and supporting industry information.
SPRA members continue to enjoy reduced course rates.
For more information, contact enquiries@spra.co.uk.
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week!
Training & Competency Development – Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP)
SPRA provides specialist training and competency development for single ply roofing professionals, including the Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) and SUP/OSAT upskilling and assessment for installers.
These industry-recognised programmes can contribute towards the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates, and CITB-registered companies may be eligible for grant funding.
Upcoming SAP dates and locations will be announced soon. Register your interest now to secure a place on future courses.
📧 Enquire and register trainees: training@spra.co.uk
Build UK Update
CITB Funding Latest
CITB has announced how in‐scope employers can access funding for training from 1 April 2026, which will be dependent on the size of organisation. This follows CITB’s decision last month to stop taking new bookings through its Employers Networks for training to be delivered before 1 April as this year’s budget has already been fully committed.
Micro to medium sized employers will be able to book training through Employer Networks at 50% match funding or a fixed contribution for health and safety courses. The funding available will be capped based on employer size: micro ‐ £1,500, small ‐ £2,000, and medium ‐ £4,500. Large employers will no longer be able to access funding through Employer Networks and will instead be eligible for a new Large Employer Fund. For the financial year 2026/27, this will provide £18,000 to spend on any in‐scope training, paid on a training plan or receipt of evidence of training.
All employers, regardless of size, will also still be able to access apprenticeship grants, Travel to Train, qualification grants, short course grants for certain specialist courses, and the Industry Impact Fund. Members of the CITB Executive Management Team are meeting with Build UK Trade Association members today and with Contractor members on Thursday 26 March to provide further information on how funding will be managed going forward, and your nominated Skills representative should have received the details directly.
Source: Build UK / CITB
Building Safety Remediation
The Building Safety Regular (BSR) has now introduced its ‘Remediation Improvement Plan’ to speed up the processing of Gateway Two applications for remediation projects. It has also set a deadline of 30 April 2026 to clear the majority of remaining remediation applications from 2024. The key measures set out in the plan include:
- Creating a Remediation Multi‐Disciplinary Team (MDT) cohort, similar to the Innovation Unit for new build applications, with account managers to streamline communication
- A recruitment drive to increase Regulatory Lead capacity and reduce individual caseloads
- Using ‘Approval with Requirements’ where applications demonstrate substantive compliance with Building Regulations, with additional information to be provided at a later date
- Publication of specific guidance for remediation applications. Build UK’s guidance on Gateway Two sets out all the information that must be included within applications for existing Higher‐Risk Buildings (HRBs).
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has issued its latest data release for all the remediation programmes for residential buildings 11 metres and over in England. By the end of January 2026, remediation work had been completed on 36% of the 4,191 buildings identified, with work underway on a further 16%. Almost half (46%) of the 2,355 buildings 18 metres and over have now had remediation work completed.
Source: Build UK / BSR
CSCS Provisional Card
CSCS is consulting on a proposal to allow a one‐off renewal of the six‐month Provisional card, used for individuals on probation while employers assess their suitability. Concerns have been raised about securing sustained employment before the card expires, and the change is designed to avoid creating a barrier to re‐entering the industry. Members can share their views until Friday 17 April.
Source: Build UK / CSCS
New Fire Safety Standard
The BSI is consulting on a new Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 9970 for Fire Safety in Construction. PAS 9970‐1 provides guidance on managing organisational and site‐specific fire safety risks, whilst PAS 9970‐2 specifies the requirements for temporary fire detection and fire alarm systems. Members can download and submit comments on the drafts until Wednesday 18 March.
Source: Build UK / BSI
Competence Standards
The BSI is reviewing the frameworks used by Principal Designers and Principal Contractors to demonstrate competence under the Building Safety Act. The aim is to ensure that PAS 8671 and PAS 8672 are fit for purpose based on the latest legislation, and members can submit feedback until Tuesday 31 March by registering on the Built Environment Competence Hub.
Source: Build UK / BSI
Annual Report on Grenfell Tower Inquiry Published
The Government has published its first annual report following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, which details the progress that has been made on implementing the 5 recommendations in the Inquiry’s final report and sets out milestones and plans for the year ahead. It confirms that 12 recommendations have been completed, including two from the Phase 1 report, with 70% expected to be closed by the end of 2026.
Alongside the annual report, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a Construction Products Reform White Paper, setting out system‐wide reforms to strengthen the regulatory framework for construction products. These include a new licensing regime for testing and certification bodies, new requirements for product information and transparency, and greater enforcement powers for the national construction products regulator.
For construction products not covered by designated standards, which means they are currently unregulated, MHCLG is consulting on the introduction of a General Safety Requirement for Construction Products that will place specific obligations on businesses to ensure that these products are safe. The deadline for submitting a response to both the consultation and the White Paper is Wednesday 20 May.
In addition, the BSI has developed PAS 2000 ‐ Bringing Safe Products to Market, which sets out a framework for manufacturers to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to ensure their products are safe for their intended uses. Members can book a place at the launch event in London next Tuesday 10 March from 9:30am ‐ 11:30am.
The Interim Chief Construction Adviser, Thouria Istephan, has published a statement outlining her work to date, including engagement with Build UK and the CLC, as well as the priorities for the remainder of her term until September 2026. These include supporting the development of the new Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser role, which will be appointed by the end of the year.
Source: Build UK / UK Gov
CPA Update
Economics Update
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update can be found here it includes:
- S&P Global UK Construction PMI (February 2026)
- DBT UK Brick Deliveries (January 2026)
- Bank of England UK Mortgage Approvals (January 2026)
- Nationwide UK House Price Index (February 2026)
- Vistry Group Full-year Results (March 2026)
- Taylor Wimpey Full-year Results (March 2026)
The State of Trade Survey 2025 Q4 was published on Monday 9th February and can be found here.
The CPA’s Winter Forecasts were published on Monday 26 January and can be found here.
Source: CPA
Government Update
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Adviser
The Chief Construction Advisor Thouria Istephan has release a statement regarding her work. It includes her priorities during her term in office and her next steps. some of her priorities are listed as:
- reform of regulation for construction products
- standards for the construction of buildings and professionals involved in construction
- how evidence is gathered and learning from near misses
- supporting the development of the permanent CCSA role
The Statement can be read in full here. The CPA has already met with and has an ongoing dialogue with the Interim Chief Construction Advisor.
Product Safety White Paper Published and Consultation Begins
The Government has published its White Paper consultation on Construction Product Reform. This has been eagerly anticipated following on from the Green Paper on Product Reform and more recently the Single Regulator Prospectus. The CPA will be engaging in detailed discussion with our members as it will define how the product sector will effectively be governed for the foreseeable future. The consultation can be found here. As with the Green Paper last year the CPA is in discussion with officials at MHCLG on engagement events that our membership will take part in. We will advise when that has been finalised.
PAS 2000
It has been announced that PAS 2000:2026, Construction products – Bringing safe products to market – Code of practice, has now been published. Its free to download and can be found here.
Source: CPA / UK Gov
The Built Environment Competence Hub is Now live
The Built Environment Competence Hub, managed by BSI and developed in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is designed to bring industry together in a central space to strengthen competence across the UK built environment. Read the CPA blog here.
Source: CPA / BSI
February 2026 Update
SPRA Awards 2026 – Tickets & Entries Open!
The SPRA Awards 2026 will take place on Wednesday 1st July 2026 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, bringing the industry together to celebrate excellence and recognise outstanding achievements across the sector.
Award Entries
Submissions are open! This is your chance to showcase your best projects, innovations, and successes from the past year. Submit your entries here: SPRA Awards Submission
Tickets
Tickets are available now – don’t miss your chance to join us for a day of recognition, celebration, and networking at one of the industry’s flagship events. Get your tickets here: SPRA Awards Tickets
For any questions, email enquiries@spra.co.uk.
SPRA & ICB Contractor Open Day – 18th March 2026
SPRA and ICB (Waterproofing) are hosting a Contractor Open Day for anyone involved in procurement, contracts, design, estimating, site management, or surveying. Learn about legal duties, training opportunities, and competence standards, with a presentation from ICB and networking over lunch.
Date: Wednesday 18 March 2026
Time: 10:15 – 13:15 (registration from 09:45)
Location: ICB (Waterproofing), Unit 9 Headstocks Industrial Park, Watnall, NG16 1AA
Open to all.
Email enquiries@spra.co.uk for more info or to sign up.
NextGen Update
SPRA NextGen – Inspiring the Future of Single Ply Roofing!
The NextGen working group is all about shining a spotlight on single ply roofing and showing the next generation the exciting career opportunities available in our industry.
Over 2026, we have three BFRS Military Events lined up, where we’ll connect with ex-military personnel and showcase single ply roofing as a rewarding and dynamic career. And that’s just the beginning – we hope to attend even more events throughout the year to grow this initiative and inspire future talent.
We’ll also be reaching out to all SPRA contractor members with a short survey to hear your thoughts on hiring and training young people. Your feedback will directly shape our efforts to develop the skills pipeline for the industry.
Want to get involved or join the NextGen working group? We’d love to have you on board! Contact us at nextgen@spra.co.uk for more info.
Let’s work together to build the next generation of roofing talent!
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP) – Online Sessions
These highly popular online sessions, suitable for both SPRA members and non-members, are designed around the SPRA guidance document: Wind Loading – Protocol for Calculations (S11b/19).
The course consists of three 2-hour online sessions, covering the guidance in detail with extensive references to the relevant standards and supporting industry information.
SPRA members continue to enjoy reduced course rates.
For more information, contact enquiries@spra.co.uk.
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week!
Training & Competency Development – Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP)
SPRA offers a range of training and competency development opportunities, including the Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) as well as SUP/OSAT upskilling, assessment, and training for contractors’ installers.
These high-quality specialist training programmes for single ply roofers can contribute towards the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates, and CITB-registered companies may also be eligible for CITB grant funding.
While the next SAP dates and locations are yet to be confirmed, interested trainees are encouraged to register their interest now to secure a place on upcoming courses.
Enquire and register your trainees at: training@spra.co.uk
State of Trade Survey, 2025 Q4
- 81% of heavy side firms reported that sales fell in 2025 Q4, on balance
• 13% of light side firms reported an increase in sales, marking the lowest balance in 18 months
• Only 14% of heavy side manufacturers and two-thirds of those on the light side expect sales to increase over the next 12 months
The State of Trade Survey for Q4 confirmed that construction product manufacturers’ sales continued to be held back by weak construction demand at the end of last year. In a quarter that was already characterised by the lingering uncertainty of early 2025 and few signs of a recovery, the late Autumn Budget at the end of November continued to hold off investment decisions on new construction projects and keep homebuyer and home improver demand subdued. The effect was particularly acute for the heavy side, where 81% of manufacturers reported a quarterly decrease in sales volumes and 57% reported a fall compared to a year earlier. These were both the lowest balances since the pandemic-hit quarters of 2020. It was slightly more positive for manufacturers on the light side, in that sales volumes rose during the quarter, according to a balance of 13% of firms, but this was the lowest balance in 18 months.
Key survey findings include:
- 81% of heavy side firms reported that sales fell in 2025 Q4, on balance
• 13% of light side firms reported an increase in sales, marking the lowest balance in 18 months
• Only 14% of heavy side manufacturers and two-thirds of those on the light side expect sales to increase over the next 12 months
• Demand was cited as the largest potential constraint on near-term activity • Input price inflation was led by wages & salaries and taxes
Download the Latest State of Trade Survey Here
Build UK Update
Open Doors – More Events Needed
With just six weeks to go until Open Doors 2026, we are seeing a fantastic response from visitors with over60% of events already fully booked! Demand is currently outstripping availability in key locations, and we need your help to maximise opportunities for those interested in seeing our industry in action fromMonday 23 ‐ Saturday 28 March.
New Single Construction Regulator
Over 125 members joined our latest Building Safety call where the Single Regulator Team from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) presented the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus, setting out its vision for a single regulatory system designed to ensure that buildings are safe and high‐performing.
- Establishing a Single Construction Regulator was the first recommendation in the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and it identified 12 functions for the new regulator spanning buildings, construction products and built environment professionals.
- The Government has accepted 10 of those functions, including licensing contractors to work on Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), monitoring operation of Building Regulations and the statutory guidance, and accrediting fire risk assessors. It did not accept that testing and certification of products should be undertaken by the new regulator as it would create a conflict of interest, and reforms to the construction products regime will be set out in a White Paper to be published this spring.
- The Building Safety Regulator (BSR), which is now a standalone arm’s length body under MHCLG, will ‘act as a foundation’ for the Single Construction Regulator, with existing regulatory bodies to be strengthened before their functions are incorporated in phases.
- Legislation to establish the Single Construction Regulator is expected to be laid in Parliament in spring 2027, with implementation from 2028.
Members can share their views on the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus untilFriday 20 March. For any members that missed our Building Safety call, MHCLG is running a webinar on the prospectus on
Source: Build UK
New BSR Sets Out Vision
To coincide with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) becoming a standalone arm’s length body under MHCLG, Chair Andy Roe and Chief Executive Charlie Pugsley hosted a webinar for industry leaders, includingBuild UKChief Executive Suzannah Nichol OBE, to outline how the BSR will deliver culture change and robust enforcement in the sector.
Andy recognised the work that is being undertaken byBuild UKmembers and the wider industry to improve the quality of Gateway Two applications, although there are ongoing issues with those related to remediation projects. The BSR is committed to ensuring that the regime for Higher‐Risk Buildings (HRBs) is proportionate and effective, and a consultation on the requirements for Category A and Category B work on existing HRBs will follow the currentconsultationon work related to fibre optic cabling and mobile communication masts. With the Gateway Three process fast approaching for a number of projects, the BSR is looking to work with any members that would be willing to trial the process of applying for a Completion Certificate, andBuild UK’s guide toGateway Three sets out the information that must be included within an application.
A new dedicatedwebpagefor the BSR has been set up which includes all the guidance previously hosted on the HSE website. We have updated ourBuilding Safety Guidewith the relevant links to the new website, as well as the latest information that has been published by the BSR.
Source: Build UK / BSR
Competence Hub
The first iteration of the Built Environment Competence Hub has been launched to bring together the industry’s competence‐related resources in one central place. The hub has been developed by the BSI in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group, and members will need to register to gain access to the resources including competence frameworks.
Source: Build UK
Employment Rights Act
From next Wednesday 18 February, new measures related to trade unions will come into force under the Employment Rights Act focused on simplifying industrial action procedures. These include reducing the notice period for industrial action from 14 days to 10 days and streamlining the information that must be included when giving employers notice of ballots.
Members Hear from New Hospital Programme
More than 180 representatives from across the supply chain attended our webinar with the New Hospital Programme (NHP) to hear first‐hand about the significant opportunities that will be created by the ‘greatest single investment in NHS infrastructure in recent decades’. Led by Chief Operating Officer Rick Lennard, the NHP team set out its ambitions for the year ahead, which will see the £37 billion programme deliver a long‐term, nationally coordinated pipeline to transform hospital infrastructure. NHP, which is a Build UK member, will use a standardised approach to designing and building new hospitals – Hospital 2.0 – that will drive efficiency and improve certainty on time, cost and quality.
This will be supported by a new Hospital 2.0 Alliance model focussed on consistent ways of working, and the NHP is expecting to announce 10 contractor partners at the end of February, with mobilisation this spring. Members interested in finding out about upcoming opportunities should register on Contracts Finder, where NHP will be advertising contracts, and update their profile on CompeteFor, where sub‐contract opportunities will be listed. You can also sign up via a smart survey to receive NHP market updates and stay informed as the programme develops.
Source: Build UK
Use of Common Assessment Standard
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has confirmed that suppliers bidding for its new £120 billion Construction Works and Associated Services 3 including ProCure 24 (CWAS3) framework will need to be certified to the Common Assessment Standard in line with PPN 03/24. The eight‐year framework will run from January 2027 until January 2035.
The invitation to tender will open in March, with seven lots including general construction projects, civil engineering and infrastructure, and offsite solutions. The Q&A log published in advance of the invitation to tender states that suppliers can obtain certification to the Common Assessment Standard from any one of the Recognised Assessment Bodies. Suppliers that have not been certified by Achilles will need to share their data at no cost with Achilles as that is the platform that CCS will be using to manage supplier data for the CWAS3 framework.
As the Common Assessment Standard continues to grow, Build UK has updated the logo to include the registered trademark symbol. This demonstrates that the logo and the wording are trademarked and will help to protect against misuse. Companies certified to the Common Assessment Standard should use the appropriate desktop or site‐based logo and can contact their Recognised Assessment Body for the updated version.
Source: Build UK / CCS
CPA Update
CPA Webinar: Construction Industry Forecasts – Winter 2025/26 Edition – Recording now available.
The recording of the webinar for the Construction Industry Forecasts – Winter 2025/26 Edition, hosted by CPA’s Economics Director Professor Noble Francis, is now available to members for replay on our website. The webinar covered the UK economy this year, the latest construction data, new construction forecasts for the key sectors, and highlighted key risks to the economy. The recording can be accessed here.
Economics Update
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update can be found here it includes:
- ONS Construction Output (December 2025)
- ONS Construction New Orders (2025 Q4)
- RICS UK Residential Market Survey (January 2026)
- Bellway Half-year Trading Update (February 2026)
- Barratt Redrow Half-year Results (February 2026)
The State of Trade Survey 2025 Q4 was published on Monday 9th February and can be found here.
The CPA’s Winter Forecasts were published on Monday 26 January and can be found here.
Government Update
PAS 2000 Launch Event
This free event marks the launch of PAS 2000 and is aimed at those involved in manufacturing, specifying, testing, or procuring construction products. Regulatory requirements and expectations around product safety, accountability, and evidence are increasing. The event will explain what PAS 2000 covers, why it matters, and how organisations can apply it in practice.
Developed in response to the Morrell/Day Testing for a Safer Future report and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, PAS 2000 sets out a framework for demonstrating that reasonable steps have been taken to ensure products are safe for their intended use. It supports the delivery of clear, accurate, and reliable evidence on product safety and performance, helping to meet the needs of clients, partners, and regulators. Details and booking can be found here.
Source: CPA
Building Safety Regulator Re-Launched as Standalone Organisation
The Building Safety Regulator officially moved from the Health and Safety Executive to a standalone organisation under the sponsorship of MHCLG. This paves the way for the creation of a single construction regulator. As a new organisation, the BSR will work towards establishing a single regulator by promoting competence and higher standards.
This move is underpinned by a significant operational reset in the BSR’s role as the building control authority for higher-risk buildings. It must be noted that the BSR’s mandate extends far beyond high-rise oversight to a broader responsibility for safety and standards for all buildings across England.
Source: CPA / BSR
The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus
The Single Construction Regulator (SCR) Prospectus has now been published by the HSE. This marks a significant milestone in reform of the built environment, following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations. The prospectus sets out our vision for a coherent, accountable regulatory system that prioritises safety, quality, and trust across buildings, products, and professions. It outlines how a new regulator will consolidate oversight functions, reduce fragmentation, and drive cultural change across the sector. You can read the full prospectus here. The CPA technical committee will lead our response to this publication.
Source: CPA / SCR
Warm Homes Plan Launched
The government has launched a £15 billion Warm Homes Plan to upgrade up to five million homes by 2030, focusing on insulation, solar PV, batteries and heat pumps to reduce energy bills and improve energy efficiency. The programme targets low-income households with fully funded retrofit packages, while also offering low- and zero-interest loans for homeowners and new protections and standards for rented and social housing. The plan can be accessed in full here.
Source: CPA
January 2026 Update
Happy New Year to our Members
We’d like to wish all our members a very happy and successful New Year. Thank you for your continued support – we look forward to working with you throughout the year ahead.
Save the Date: SPRA Awards 2026
The SPRA Awards 2026 will take place on Wednesday 1st July 2026 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, bringing the industry together to celebrate excellence and recognise outstanding achievements across the sector.
SPRA is delighted to announce that award submissions are opening this week, giving members and industry professionals the opportunity to showcase their best projects, innovations and successes from the past year.
Tickets for the SPRA Awards 2026 will be available shortly, with further details on pricing and booking to be announced soon.
Mark your calendars and get ready to join us in Birmingham for a day of recognition, celebration and networking at one of the industry’s flagship events.
If you have any queries regarding the event, please contact us at enquiries@SPRA.co.uk
Next NexGen Meeting
NexGen is a working group focused on increasing awareness of single ply roofing, with the aim of engaging the next generation and promoting the wide range of career opportunities within the industry.
Our next meeting takes place on Monday 13th January at 9:30am.
The meeting is open to everyone who is interested in supporting this initiative.
Contact us on enquiries@spra.co.uk for more information.
SPRA Contractor Open Day at AccuRoof – Don’t Miss Out
Date: Wednesday 28th January 2026
Time: 10:15am – 1:15pm
Location: SIG Roofing, Harding Way, St Ives, PE27 3YJ
SPRA and AccuRoof are hosting a free Contractor Open Day for single ply roofing contractors, designed to provide valuable insights, updates, and practical knowledge to help you stay competitive in 2026.
Open to both SPRA members and non-members, this event is a great opportunity to:
- Connect with industry professionals
- Strengthen your technical knowledge
- Stay up to date with standards and best practice
What to Expect
- Five Essential Insights for Single Ply Roofing
Presented by Anthony Hogan, SPRA Technical Manager, sharing practical guidance to improve project quality and performance. - Preparing Your Team for the Future
Ronan Brunton from SPRA will cover competency requirements and training pathways to keep your workforce future-ready.
Reserve Your Free Place
Places are limited. Email enquiries@spra.co.uk to book.
UK Government Announcements on Fire safety
On Monday 22 December 2025, the UK government has published several reports following research on a variety of topics, including the following:
Fire safety: Solar photovoltaic panels on roofs
Research into the fire safety implications of installing photovoltaic panels on rooftops.
A literature review that examines the fire safety implications of installing photovoltaic (PV) systems, reviewing experimental evidence, incident data and existing regulatory approaches.
Researchers investigated how PV systems installed on roofs influence fire dynamics, introduce additional risks for roof constructions and affect firefighting operations.
The project aimed to identify gaps in current guidance to understand how PV system design and installation affect fire spread.
Fire safety: Compartment walls and roof junctions
Research into the fire performance of roof junctions, examining how roof design, insulation and fire stopping materials influence the spread of fire.
The research assesses the performance of fire-stopping details of the junction between compartment walls and three modern roof construction types in relation to Approved Document B (fire safety) and Building Regulations 2010.
Researchers examined how roof and wall constructions perform with different fire stopping materials and to assess their suitability for limiting fire spread at compartment boundaries.
It used these findings to provide evidence to inform future policy and guidance updates.
Fire safety: Trigger thresholds
Research on the trigger thresholds used in Approved Document B, including the height threshold for the ban on combustible materials in or on external walls.
The research assesses the current provisions related to trigger and threshold levels in Approved Document B (fire safety) and regulation 7(4) of the Building Regulations 2010.
The researchers reviewed whether the thresholds in the document are based on relevant and up-to-date evidence and provide designers with adequate guidance.
The project comprised two workstreams:
- workstream A reviewed all the trigger and threshold levels
- workstream B examined the height above which buildings should not include combustible external walls or cladding systems
The rest of the reports can be found on the Building Regulation page under Research and Statistics.
Build UK Update
Changes to CITB Funding
Ahead of the Christmas break, CITB announced significant changes to the grants and funding available to employers, which take effect from the 8th January. With the demand for financial support due to exceed the Levy paid by employers, apprenticeship grants will be maintained but there are wide‐ranging changes to other funding, including:
- Short course training grants have been removed, except for a limited number of specialist courses
- First Aid training is no longer funded
- Funding for new Level 7 long qualifications has been withdrawn
- Employer Networks are now the main route to funding for SMEs, with CITB match funding 50% of eligible courses
- Large employers will not be supported via Employer Networks after 31 March, with a new large employer fund to be introduced from 1 April.
Source: Build UK / CITB
Building Safety Regulator Update
Following the outcome of the inquiry by the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee into the BSR, which highlighted ‘unacceptable delays’ in the BSR’s approval processes and the need for the BSR to be ‘proactive in making further changes’, the BSR has published updated guidance on submitting staged applications at Gateway Two.
The updated guidance expands the eligibility of staged applications to include single tower projects, alongside complex multiple tower developments. It confirms that stage one for single tower projects must complete the foundations, any basement level, and the structure of the ground floor level. The CLC has also published guidance on staged applications, which highlights that they should not be used for individual works packages as this can result in a lack of coordination and the risk of compliance issues. A full Gateway Two application is required for each stage of a staged application, along with a summary of subsequent stage(s) and the estimated start and end dates.
With the latest data on Gateway Two applications published by the BSR showing a continued rise in the number of decisions, the criteria used to review applications has been updated and now includes additional information on ‘Approval with Requirements’. This allows the BSR to approve an application where the design demonstrates substantive compliance with Building Regulations, subject to additional information being provided by a certain stage in the project.
The BSR has issued information on potential structural safety issues affecting reinforced concrete buildings constructed with ‘transfer slabs’. Building owners are advised to seek professional advice where a transfer slab shows visible signs of distress or there are specific concerns about the building’s condition and/or design.
Source: Build UK / BSR
Grenfell Tower Inquiry Latest
The Government has published its third quarterly progress report on implementing the recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. It confirms that work has now been completed on another five of the 58 recommendations, with progress made in relation to the following key recommendations linked to the construction industry:
- Single Construction Regulator – The Government has set out its vision for a single regulatory system for buildings, products and professionals. The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus, which will be the focus of our next Building Safety call, is open for consultation until Friday 20 March. It will be followed in the spring by a White Paper on reforming the construction products regime and a call for evidence on a new overarching strategy for building environment professionals.
- Definition of HRB – The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has published its initial review of the definition of Higher‐Risk Building (HRB), which concludes that changing it would not be the ‘right course of action’ at this time, and this view is supported by the Government. The BSR has also set out plans for the ongoing review of the definition at least once a year, in conjunction with its duties under the Building Safety Act.
- Approved Document B – The Government will shortly launch a consultation on updates to Approved Document B (Fire Safety), including new provisions for evacuation lifts in residential buildings above 18 metres.
The next progress report will be published in February within the first annual report on implementing the Inquiry’s recommendations.
Source: Build UK / UK Gov
Shaping the Future of Construction (from Build UK)
An update from Build UK highlights that the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus aims to revolutionise regulation, competence, and culture across the construction industry. Find out more here.
Source: Build UK
New Planning Act
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, with a number of the new measures coming into force with immediate effect. The new Act is key to meeting the Government’s targets for homes and major infrastructure, and Ministers will confirm in due course when the remaining reforms will take effect.
Open Doors Update
Visitor Booking Now Open!
Booking is now open for Open Doors 2026, and we are working with our network of partners to promote events to as many potential visitors as possible in the coming weeks. They currently have more than 160 events registered to take part across the UK from Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March, including major projects like Buckingham Palace, Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, and Dundonald International Ice Bowl, Belfast.
Open Doors is a unique opportunity for the industry to showcase what it has to offer, and there are a number of simple things you can do to promote your events to young people and those looking for a change of career, including:
-
Post details outside the venue, on site hoardings and notice boards and we have produced a poster you can use
-
Invite the local community using our template:
- Careers leaders at schools and colleges – all secondary schools should list the contact details on their website
- JobCentre employment advisors – you can tag your local JobCentre Plus on social media
- Prison work coaches – Category D (open) prisons may visit on a ROTL (release on temporary license) basis
- Use social media to promote events more widely and show visitors what they can expect using the hashtag #OpenDoors26.
If you are not hosting an event this year, you can still help to promote Open Doors by sending details to your local school, college or community group, sharing them on social media, or speaking to any young people you know who are thinking about their next step.
Source: Build UK
CPA Update
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update can be found here it includes:
- ONS UK CPI Inflation (November 2025)
- S&P Global UK Construction PMI (December 2025)
- ONS UK Construction Wage Inflation (October 2025)
- Insolvency Service Construction Insolvencies (October 2025)
- HMRC UK Residential Property Transactions (November 2025)
- Bank of England UK Mortgage Approvals (November 2025)
- Nationwide UK House Price Index (December 2025)
The CPA’s State of Trade Survey for Q4 is now open for members to report on the state of trade in your materials or products sub-sector during the October-December period of 2025. The deadline is the end of Wednesday 14 January and we would encourage you to respond so that we can present a comprehensive view of our industry’s near-term performance. The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPASurvey25Q4. All responses are kept strictly confidential and results will be presented on an aggregate basis only.
The CPA’s Winter forecasts will be published on Monday 26 January. The Autumn Forecasts were published on Monday 27th October and can be found here.
Government Update
Warm Homes plan and Future Home Standards delayed
The UK Government has confirmed that its Warm Homes plan to improve the energy efficiency of hundreds of thousands of low-income households will not be published until January. The Warm Homes Plan was first announced last winter by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. The intention was for the full plan to be set out in late 2025, with many commentators hoping that it would accompany November’s Budget announcement. The Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (DESNZ) has now confirmed that it expects to publish the Plan in January. It stated that the overall budget will remain the same, as will the grant level available under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Regarding the Future Homes Standard The CPA’s understanding is that it will not be published before the warm homes plan; however, this has not been publicly confirmed by the government. The CPA will keep you updated as information becomes available.
EU Construction Products Regulation Work Plan
The EU has published its work plan for 2026-2029 for the Construction Products Regulation. Find it here.
The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus
The Single Construction Regulator (SCR) Prospectus has now been published by the HSE. This marks a significant milestone in reform of the built environment, following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations. The prospectus sets out our vision for a coherent, accountable regulatory system that prioritises safety, quality, and trust across buildings, products, and professions. It outlines how a new regulator will consolidate oversight functions, reduce fragmentation, and drive cultural change across the sector. You can read the full prospectus here. The CPA technical committee will lead our response to this publication.
The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus
The Single Construction Regulator (SCR) Prospectus has now been published by the HSE. This marks a significant milestone in reform of the built environment, following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations. The prospectus sets out our vision for a coherent, accountable regulatory system that prioritises safety, quality, and trust across buildings, products, and professions. It outlines how a new regulator will consolidate oversight functions, reduce fragmentation, and drive cultural change across the sector. You can read the full prospectus here. The CPA technical committee will lead our response to this publication.
Building Safety Newsletter
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is launching a new Building Safety Newsletter in the coming weeks. You can sign up to the newsletter here.
Building Safety Regulator E-Bulletin
The latest ebulletin from the regulator has been published with the following items included:
- Building control staged applications – updated guidance published.
- Criteria for validating, approving or rejecting building control applications.
Also updates from the government on the following: Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Government’s third progress report, The Single Construction Regulator prospectus and consultation, the BSR’s review of the higher-risk building definition, Fire engineering authoritative statement and next steps document. The E-Bulletin can be accessed here.
Building Safety Regulator – Ministerial Statement
The BSR has attracted some recent attention in parliament, including a Ministerial statement and in committees links to the statements, debates and committees can be found below.
Written Ministerial Statement
Grand Committee
House of Lords Debate
Source: CPA
November 2025 Update
The Unmissable SPRA Contractor Open Day at AccuRoof!
Date: Wednesday, 28th January 2026
Time: 10:15 am – 1:15 pm
Location: SIG Roofing, Harding Way, St Ives, PE27 3YJ
Calling All Single Ply Roofing Professionals – This Is Your Event!
Join SPRA and AccuRoof for a free Contractor Open Day packed with technical insights, industry updates, and valuable connections to give your business the edge in 2026.
Whether you’re a SPRA member or not, this is your chance to:
- Network with leading professionals
- Strengthen your technical know-how
- Stay ahead of industry standards
What’s On
Five Things You Should Know About Single Ply Roofing
With Anthony Hogan, SPRA Technical Manager – practical, straight-talking insights to boost quality and performance.
Future-Ready Teams
Ronan Brunton, SPRA, shares key updates on competency standards and training pathways to keep you ahead of the curve.
Don’t Miss Out – Book Now!
Spaces are limited!
Email enquiries@spra.co.uk to secure your free place today!
Save the dates!
SPRA Awards 2026 – Hilton Birmingham Metropole
Save the date for the SPRA Awards 2026, taking place on Wednesday 1st July 2026 in Birmingham. Join us as we celebrate excellence across the industry and recognise outstanding achievements. Further details, including when tickets will go on sale, will be announced soon.
SPRA Golf Day 2026
We’re pleased to confirm that the SPRA Golf Day 2026 will take place on Thursday 10th September 2026 at Carden Park. This popular event offers a great opportunity for networking, friendly competition, and an enjoyable day on the course. We’ll be announcing when tickets will go on sale soon.
Training & Competency Development
SPRA are running a number of training and competency development opportunities. These include Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) as well as upskilling, assessment and training (SUP/OSAT) for contractors’ installers.
These high-quality specialist training programmes for single ply roofers can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates and CITB registered companies can also access CITB grant funding.
New SPRA SAP starting at Welwyn Garden City in January. The dates for the 5-week training course are as follows:
26th-30th January 2026
16th -20th March 2026
22nd -26th June 2026
24th– 28th August 2026
26th-30th October 2026
Funding is available for registered companies with CITB. Enquire and register your trainees now at training@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
These online sessions based on existing SPRA published guidance are very popular with members and non-members. They consist of a set of three 2-hour sessions online. The sessions are based on the SPRA guidance document Wind Loading – Protocol for calculations (S11b/19) with extensive reference to the appropriate standards and other industry guidance that underpin this document. SPRA members again benefit from reduced course rates.
Contact SPRA for further information enquiries@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly.
Source: CCPI
Build UK Update
New BSR Chief Executive Addresses Members
Over 130 members joined our latest Building Safety call earlier this week where the new Chief Executive of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), Charlie Pugsley, drew on his experience of 30 years with the London Fire Brigade to outline how buildings perform ‘in real life’ and the issues that arise when systems are not installed properly. He also gave an update on the changes currently being implemented within the BSR to speed up the processing of Gateway Two applications, including the new Innovation Unit and its centralised team of in‐house Registered Building Inspectors (RBIs), the ‘batching’ of applications for review by third‐party Building Control Bodies, and dedicated account managers to improve communication with applicants.
The BSR has issued guidance following the collapse of Assent Building Compliance Ltd, which has two Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs), LB Building Control Ltd and Oculus Building Consultancy Ltd. It is understood that 10 Higher‐Risk Building (HRB) projects are affected, which will revert to the BSR, and the BSR has stated that it does ‘not envisage a knock‐on impact on [its] overall Gateway Two work’. Non‐HRB projects will revert to the relevant local authority unless an alternative RBCA was appointed within seven days of the cancellation notice being issued for the project by LB or Oculus. In this situation, the new RBCA will have to issue a new initial notice for the project, which must then be accepted by the local authority.
Build UK’s next Building Safety call will take place on Tuesday 27 January and your nominated Building Safety representative will receive the details directly.
Source: Build UK / BSR
Companies House Changes
From Tuesday 18 November, it will be a legal requirement for company directors to verify their identity with Companies House in order to submit their company’s next confirmation statement. It follows the introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act to improve transparency over UK companies and tackle economic crime.
Individuals can verify their identity by supplying the evidence requested via their GOV.UK One Login or an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). Anyone using their GOV.UK One Login will need a mobile phone with a working camera and photo ID such as a driving licence or passport. The process should take around 10 minutes and verified individuals will receive a personal code which they can use for each company they are a director of.
Companies House has announced that a number of its fees will be changing from 1 February 2026. These include the confirmation statement digital filing fee increasing from £34 to £50, the incorporation digital filing fee doubling from £50 to £100, and the digital voluntary strike off fee being reduced from £33 to £13. Details of all the changes can be found on the Companies House website.
Source: Build UK / UK Gov
CPA Update
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here including:
- S&P Global UK Construction PMI (October 2025)
- RICS UK Construction Monitor (2025 Q3)
- DBT UK Brick Deliveries (September 2025)
- Barratt Redrow AGM Trading Update (November 2025)
- Vistry Trading Update (November 2025)
The CPA’s Autumn forecasts were published on Monday, 27 October, and are available from the CPAWebsite, whilst its Winter forecasts will be published on Monday 26th January 2026.
State of Trade Survey
The 2025 Q3 survey is now available to read here.
Capacity constraints in construction: rethinking the business environment
The CPA contributed significantly to a new economic report by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) exploring the construction industry’s capacity to deliver on key targets and meet demand for new homes and infrastructure in the UK. The report can be found here.
Construction Mental Health Consultation – Deadline Extended to 21 November
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has undertaken a consultation on its mental health project that sets out mental health as one of its priority focus areas with the aim to create an environment that fosters better mental health for the people that work in the UK construction industry. The consultation which has received around 2000 responses to date, has been extended to 21st November, invites stakeholders across the industry for their views on what can be done to eliminate or reduce the root causes of the poor mental health across UK construction.
The importance of this work is illustrated by the fact the suicide rate in UK construction is four times the national average, which is unacceptable. Change is needed as is your input. Click here to learn more and respond.
Source: CPA
October 2025 Update
Tomorrow: The Unmissable SPRA Contractor Open Day at Renolit UK!
Date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Time: 10:15 am – 1:15 pm
Location: Renolit UK, Station Road, Cramlington, NE23 8AQ
Calling All Single Ply Roofing Professionals – This Is Your Event!
Join SPRA and Renolit UK tomorrow for a free Contractor Open Day packed with technical insights, industry updates, and valuable connections to give your business the edge in 2025.
Whether you’re a SPRA member or not, this is your chance to:
- Network with leading professionals
- Strengthen your technical know-how
- Stay ahead of industry standards
What’s On
Five Things You Should Know About Single Ply Roofing
With Anthony Hogan, SPRA Technical Manager – practical, straight-talking insights to boost quality and performance.
Future-Ready Teams
Ronan Brunton, SPRA, shares key updates on competency standards and training pathways to keep you ahead of the curve.
Don’t Miss Out – Book Now!
Spaces are limited!
Email enquiries@spra.co.uk to secure your free place today!
Save the dates!
SPRA Awards 2026 Megan – Hilton Birmingham Metropole
Save the date for the SPRA Awards 2026, taking place on Wednesday 1st July 2026 in Birmingham. Join us as we celebrate excellence across the industry and recognise outstanding achievements. Further details, including when tickets will go on sale, will be announced soon.
SPRA Golf Day 2026
We’re pleased to confirm that the SPRA Golf Day 2026 will take place on Thursday 10th September 2026 at Carden Park. This popular event offers a great opportunity for networking, friendly competition, and an enjoyable day on the course. We’ll be announcing when tickets will go on sale soon.
Training & Competency Development
SPRA are running a number of training and competency development opportunities. These include Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) as well as upskilling, assessment and training (SUP/OSAT) for contractors’ installers.
These high-quality specialist training programmes for single ply roofers can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates and CITB registered companies can also access CITB grant funding.
New SPRA SAP starting at Welwyn Garden City in January. The dates for the 5-week training course are as follows:
26th-30th January 2026
16th -20th March 2026
22nd -26th June 2026
24th– 28th August 2026
26th-30th October 2026
Funding is available for registered companies with CITB. Enquire and register your trainees now at training@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
Mental Health – First Aid Course
Structured to help anyone engaged to better serve the needs of those who are experiencing mental health concerns, this Course will be delivered by Revd Kevin Fear, who was a Minister in Secular Employment working in Health & Safety in the construction industry.
There are four Sessions to the course, spread over two consecutive weeks in November. To complete the course ALL FOUR SESSIONS must be attended. The details are below. Book through Eventbright and the cost is £45.
Here is the link to book – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-first-aid-on-line-tickets-1668357324669?aff=oddtdtcreator
Dates and times are:
Monday 10 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Thursday 13 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Monday 17 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Thursday 20 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
These online sessions based on existing SPRA published guidance are very popular with members and non-members. They consist of a set of three 2-hour sessions online. The sessions are based on the SPRA guidance document Wind Loading – Protocol for calculations (S11b/19) with extensive reference to the appropriate standards and other industry guidance that underpin this document. SPRA members again benefit from reduced course rates.
Contact SPRA for further information enquiries@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly.
Source: CCPI
Build UK Update
Building Safety Regulator Update
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has published new data on Gateway Two applications up to 1 October 2025, reflecting its new model for processing applications. The BSR highlights that an ‘all-time high’ 209 decisions were made during August, with 152 new build applications and 253 remediation applications currently in progress.
The new Innovation Unit, which has been established to speed up the processing of applications, is managing 27 of the 152 live new build applications, with the majority of these meeting the 12-week service level agreement. The BSR has confirmed that its focus for the remainder of this year is resolving the 91 historic new build applications and that all but three of these are expected to reach a decision by 31 December.
With the BSR implementing significant operational changes, we are delighted to confirm that we will be joined by its new Chief Executive, Charlie Pugsley, for our next Building Safety call on Tuesday 11 November at 8:30am. With a 30-year career in the London Fire Brigade, Charlie has played a leading role in investigating many of London’s most significant fires and seen first-hand how buildings are used and perform ‘in real life’. It is a unique opportunity to hear from the man at the forefront of moving the new regime forward, and your nominated Building Safety representative should have received the details directly.
Source: Build UK / BSR
CLC Consultation
Members across the supply chain are asked to encourage as many of their workforce as possible to respond to the CLC Mental Health Consultation to help identify how to manage the causes of poor mental health in construction. The deadline is Wednesday 5 November and the CLC has produced a poster about the consultation which can be displayed in the workplace.
Digitising Planning
The CLC is hosting a meeting on the afternoon of Thursday 20 November to explore the current challenges and opportunities for the digitalisation of the planning system in England. The meeting, which will be held in Birmingham, will look at how to improve user experiences and increase efficiency through the use of AI, and members will need to register to attend.
Source: Build UK / CLC
CPA Update
CPA Urges Government Support Ahead of Autumn Budget
Ahead of the Autumn Budget on 26 November, the Construction Products Association (CPA) has written to the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, outlining key actions to support the UK construction industry.
The CPA calls for greater investment in infrastructure, housing, and regulatory funding, alongside consistent support for Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) to boost energy efficiency and meet Net Zero goals.
Following its Autumn Construction Forecasts, the CPA also released a press statement urging government action to stimulate new build private housing, warning that without short-term support—especially for first-time buyers—the sector faces worsening job losses, skill shortages, and reduced manufacturing capacity.
“A time-limited stimulus for house building demand is urgently needed,” said Professor Noble Francis, CPA Economics Director.
Read more on the CPA website:
🔗 Autumn Budget 2025 Representation
🔗 Support for Housing Sector Press Release
Source: CPA
Declaration of Performance
The CPA have published with the OPSS – ‘Understanding your Declaration of Performance obligations for the GB market’. The Declaration of Performance (DoP) is a central requirement under the Construction Products Regulation 2011 (GB). It provides a standardised way for manufacturers and other economic operators to communicate how a construction product performs against its essential characteristics. By doing so, the DoP supports transparency, comparability, and compliance, helping architects, builders, designers, and regulators make informed decisions about which products are suitable for use. The guide explains the obligations that apply to manufacturers, importers, distributors, and authorised representatives when drawing up and providing a DoP. It sets out when a DoP must be created, what information it must contain, and how it should be supplied. While it does not replace the legislation itself, the guide is intended to make the requirements of the CPR 2011 (GB) clearer and more accessible, enabling businesses to meet their legal duties with confidence and consistency. the document can be found here.
Source: CPA
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here including:
- ONS Construction Output (August 2025)
- ONS UK Construction Wage Inflation (August 2025)
- Bellway Full-year Results (October 2025)
The Autumn Forecasts will be published on Monday 27th October.
CPA Construction Trade Survey
The 2025 Q2 survey is now available to read here.
Regional Construction Hotspots in Great Britain 2025
This annual regional report, made in partnership between the CPA and Barbour ABI, analyses construction contract awards at a high level of regional granularity, firstly to identify pockets of growth or contraction – hotspots and coldspots – in regional activity and secondly, to offer a forward-looking indication of growth by region and by sector. The report compiled by the CPA with Barbour ABI is now available and can be read here.
Source: CPA / Barbour ABI
Capacity constraints in construction: rethinking the business environment
The CPA contributed significantly to a new economic report by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) exploring the construction industry’s capacity to deliver on key targets and meet demand for new homes and infrastructure in the UK. The report can be found here.
Government Sends Out EPR Bills
These first-year invoices, based on 2024 packaging data submitted by producers, will cover recycling and disposal costs for the assessment year April 2025 to March 2026.
Guidance has been published here to help producers prepare and government have also launched a Customer Service Desk to support with questions: eprcustomerservice@defra.gov.uk
The helpdesk is open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm during October 2025 and closed on weekends and bank holidays. Normal opening hours for the helpdesk post October 25 are 8am to 4.30pm.
Source: CPA / Gov UK
Review published setting new course for mainstreaming property flood resilience
The CPA have contributed to the FloodReady Review and Action Plan provides recommendations and practical steps to improve the take up of property flood resilience (PFR) measures. The Review, led by Professor Peter Bonfield, brought together leaders from across various sectors who all have an important role in improving the PFR uptake.
Property flood resilience measures – such as flood doors, non-return valves and air bricks – can help to keep as much water out of a property as possible. They also include measures like tiled floors and raised electrics, so if water does enter, it minimises damage and helps people get back on their feet quicker. The use of Sustainable Drainage Systems at property level, for example permeable paving and rain gardens, can also reduce the risk of surface water flooding.
Source: CPA
DESNZ Survey Request
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Product Standards team invites CPAmembers to take part in a short survey on Ecodesign requirements for standby, off-mode and networked standby. The aim of this survey is to gather evidence on the potential impacts if the UK aligns with the EU’s updated Regulation (EU) 2023/826, and to compare these with the current GB requirements under Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008. The EU’s updated rules would increase the stringency of requirements and bring additional products into scope. Your input will help DESNZ assess the implications for UK businesses and inform future policy.
The survey can be accessed via the following link: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90904374/Standby-Networked-Standby-Survey. It will ask some questions about your organisation, your product portfolio, and your views on the current and future requirements. A separate Excel file is provided for you to add technical and sales volume details about your products.
All responses will be viewed only by DESNZ and its research agencies and combined to build an anonymised, aggregate picture. If you are a trade association, you are welcome to provide association-level responses and/or coordinate input from your members.
Source: CPA / DESNZ
HSE Newsletter
The HSE have released a building control Gateway 2 update to 1 October 2025, demonstrating initial positive impacts on application processes for new high-rise residential buildings. The update comes amidst a steady rising pace of decisions, with determinations reaching an all-time high of 209 across all application types during August.
As of 1 October 2025, 544 Gateway 2 decisions were made. This is a 111% increase compared to the 257 decisions made between January and March. The BSR have also created a specialist Innovation Unit that has seen the majority of its new build applications dealt with by or before the 12-week target.
Source: CPA / HSE
Mid-October 2025 Update
You’re Invited: The Unmissable SPRA Contractor Open Day at Renolit UK!
Date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Time: 10:15 am – 1:15 pm
Location: Renolit UK, Station Road, Cramlington, NE23 8AQ
Calling All Single Ply Roofing Professionals – This Is Your Event!
Get ready for a morning of insight, innovation, and industry connection.
SPRA and Renolit UK are throwing open the doors for a Contractor Open Day that’s all about you – the people who shape the future of single ply roofing.
Whether you’re a SPRA member or not, this free event is your chance to meet fellow professionals, sharpen your technical edge, and walk away with practical knowledge that will give you and your business the competitive advantage.
What’s in Store
Get Ahead of the Game
Kick things off with Anthony Hogan, SPRA Technical Manager, as he dives into:
Five Things You Should Know About Single Ply Roofing
Expect clear takeaways, technical know-how, and tips you can put to work straight away – all designed to help you raise the bar on quality and performance.
Stay Sharp and Future-Ready
Ronan Brunton, SPRA, will bring you the latest updates on competency standards and training pathways, ensuring your team stays ahead of industry expectations and ready for every opportunity that’s coming next.
Who Should Join the Action
This Open Day is built for everyone in the single ply roofing – if you’re serious about single ply roofing, this is where you need to be.
Reserve Your Place Now – It’s Free!
Spaces are limited and demand will be high. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this exclusive industry gathering.
Email enquiries@spra.co.uk to secure your place today!
Training & Competency Development
SPRA are running a number of training and competency development opportunities. These include Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) as well as upskilling, assessment and training (SUP/OSAT) for contractors’ installers.
These high-quality specialist training programmes for single ply roofers can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates and CITB registered companies can also access CITB grant funding.
New SPRA SAP starting at Welwyn Garden City in January. The dates for the 5-week training course are as follows:
26th-30th January 2026
16th -20th March 2026
22nd -26th June 2026
24th– 28th August 2026
26th-30th October 2026
Funding is available for registered companies with CITB. Enquire and register your trainees now at training@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
NEXGEN Working Group – Next Meeting Tuesday 28th October (2.30pm -4pm Online)
Come and join this working group to help recruit and develop careers in single ply roofing with manufacturers and specialist SP contractors. Contact us on enquiries@spra.co.uk
Mental Health – First Aid Course
Structured to help anyone engaged to better serve the needs of those who are experiencing mental health concerns, this Course will be delivered by Revd Kevin Fear, who was a Minister in Secular Employment working in Health & Safety in the construction industry.
There are four Sessions to the course, spread over two consecutive weeks in November. To complete the course ALL FOUR SESSIONS must be attended. The details are below. Book through Eventbright and the cost is £45.
Here is the link to book – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-first-aid-on-line-tickets-1668357324669?aff=oddtdtcreator
Dates and times are:
Monday 10 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Thursday 13 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Monday 17 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Thursday 20 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
These online sessions based on existing SPRA published guidance are very popular with members and non-members. They consist of a set of three 2-hour sessions online. The sessions are based on the SPRA guidance document Wind Loading – Protocol for calculations (S11b/19) with extensive reference to the appropriate standards and other industry guidance that underpin this document. SPRA members again benefit from reduced course rates.
Contact SPRA for further information enquiries@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
One ticket. Three masterclasses. Complete access.
Don’t worry if you missed the first session, secure your ticket today and your pass will include the next two live masterclasses, plus on-demand access so you can catch up at any time.
What is coming next?
MASTERCLASS TWO
Designing for Fire Safety in Non-HRB Housing
22 October | 10:00 – 12:00 | Online
While HRBs remain in the spotlight, fire safety risks in non-HRB buildings are no less real. Care homes, HMOs, and low-rise flats involve vulnerable residents and sleeping risk—but often lack the rigorous oversight applied to taller buildings.
This session explores:
- How to design for fire safety in non-HRB schemes
- Application of BS 9991 and BS EN 13501 under 2025 regulations
Real-world coordination issues between architects, clients, and fire engineers
The expert speakers for masterclass two include:
- Russell Curtis, director, RCKa
- Andrea White, fire engineer and managing director, A W Fire
- Jonathan Zokay, safety case manager, Clarion Housing Group
- Hosted by: Geoff Wilkinson, managing director, Wilkinson Construction Consultants
Book your ticket now for just £169 and gain access to all three online materclasses.
Book your tickets here or View the programme here.
Source: AJ Building Safety Masterclasses
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly.
Source: CCPI
Build UK Update
Government Payment Requirements
As of 1 October 2025, companies bidding for central Government contracts over £5 million per annum must now demonstrate that they pay invoices within an average of 45 days, down from 55 days. They must also continue to pay at least 95% of invoices within 60 days (90% if an action plan is provided) otherwise they will be excluded from bidding.
The guidance to PPN 018 confirms that companies must meet both of these metrics in at least one of their two previous six-month reporting periods under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations, although any companies that have failed to do so may submit data that has not yet been reported for the previous three or more months. Build UK’s payment performance table shows the results for more than 130 of the industry’s largest companies, and all Build UK tier one Contractor members meet the new requirement to pay invoices within an average of 45 days.
The Government is consulting on further measures to tackle late payments, and thanks to all those members who joined our meeting earlier this week to discuss the proposed package of legislative measures. The deadline for responses to the consultation is Thursday 23 October, and the draft Build UK response will be circulated to your nominated contact for comment in due course.
Source: Build UK / UK Government
CLC Mental Health Consultation
The CLC has launched a consultation, in partnership with Mates in Mind and the University of Warwick, to understand what can be done to improve mental health in the industry. It builds on research undertaken by the university, presented at our Forum meeting in April, which showed how construction operates has a significant impact on mental health.
The CLC consultation survey is focussed on a number of primary causes of poor mental health and what can be done to reduce or eliminate their impact, including working patterns, operational factors and people management, payment and financial issues, and barriers to support. Members across the supply chain are asked to encourage as many of their workforce as possible to complete the survey in confidence, and the CLC has produced a poster which can be displayed in the workplace. The deadline for responses is Wednesday 5 November, and the findings will be used to develop an action plan which is expected to be published by the CLC next spring.
Source: Build UK / CLC
Digital ID Scheme
The Government has announced that it will be introducing a new digital ID scheme, which will be mandatory for Right to Work checks by the end of this Parliament. ‘Digital ID’ will contain an individual’s name, date of birth, information on nationality or residency status, and a photo, and there will be a public consultation later this year on how it will be delivered.
Source: Build UK / UK Governmen
BREEAM Version 7
The BRE has published Version 7 of BREEAM, the recognised industry framework for specifying and measuring the sustainability performance of buildings. The new V7 places greater emphasis on decarbonisation and improving sustainability across all stages of a building’s lifecycle, and full details of the changes between V6 and V7 can be found in a series of FAQs.
Source: Build UK / BRE
Open Doors – Register Now!
The Countdown to #OpenDoors26 is well and truly underway, and Build UK members across the supply chain can now register the events they are planning to offer from Monday 23 ‐ Saturday 28 March! Everyone can play their part in inspiring careers in construction by opening up their sites, offices, manufacturing facilities and training centres across the UK, and our Open Doors Partners have already listed an exciting range of events, including Canary Wharf Group’s Wood Wharf in London, the Sunbelt Rentals Chadderton Service Centre near Oldham, CITB’s National Construction College Scotland, and Willmott Dixon’s Glyn‐coch Primary Schoolin Wales.
Construction needs to recruit around 50,000 extra workers a year, and Open Doors is a unique opportunity for young people and those looking for a change of career to go behind the scenes and see just what our industry has to offer. We know that schools and colleges require advance notice to organise visits, so please register your events as soon as possible, and further information can be found in our latest Open Doors update.
Building Safety Update
The Government has published its second quarterly progress report on implementing the recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. It confirms that work has now been completed on two more recommendations related to Phase 1 for the provision and storage of personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for High‐Rise Residential Buildings.
After committing to take action on all 58 recommendations from the Inquiry, the Government has also published an implementation timeline showing when each recommendation is expected to be completed. By the end of this year, consultation should be underway on Approved Document B and a licensing scheme for Principal Contractors working on Higher‐Risk Buildings (HRBs) and further information should be published regarding the design of the single construction regulator and the review of the definition of HRB. It is likely to take at least four years for all the recommendations to be implemented due to the need for primary legislation, which is subject to Parliamentary time.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol OBE chaired a Building Safety Panel at last week’s Building the Future Conference hosted by Building Magazine, which reinforced the importance of corporate and individual competence. She was joined by Andy Roe (Building Safety Regulator) and Build UK members Paul Brown (John Sisk & Son), Rachel Davidson (BESA) and Brett King (Procore), who highlighted the need for consistent standards to be agreed and implemented across the sector.
Following initial consultation with the industry earlier this year, the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) has published draft guidance for organisations on managing the competence of those working for them. The ICC is seeking feedback on the guidance and whether it can be put into practice, and there is an online survey which members can use to share their views by Thursday 6 November.
Source: Build UK / Uk Government
Cladding Remediation Update
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has issued its latest data release for remediation programmes for residential buildings 11 metres and over in England. It shows that remediation works have been completed on 35% of the 5,554 buildings identified up to the end of August 2025, with work underway on a further 13%.
The Remediation Acceleration Plan has set a target to remediate all buildings 18 metres and over by 2029, and work has now been completed on 90% of the 511 buildings identified to have unsafe ACM cladding. There are between 3,300 and 3,500 dwellings that have yet to be remediated, and local authority enforcement action is being taken against building owners to ensure remediation is progressed. The next data release will be published on 23 October.
The MHCLG Buildings, Fire and Resilience Group has launched its annual industry remediation survey to understand capability challenges and supply chain capacity over the next 12 months. The survey which is used to help shape policy and support suppliers will take around 30 minutes to complete and the deadline for responses is Wednesday 12 November.
Source: Build UK / Uk Government
CITB Goes Digital
CITB has developed a new online portal to make it easier for employers to access the CITB Grants Scheme. CITB Online Services now allows employers to submit and manage applications for Apprenticeship, Qualification and Short Course grants, which could previously only be applied for via email, as well as submit their Levy Return.
The online portal enables employers to save draft grant applications and track when they have been processed, as well as control who within their business has access to the information. Employers who already have a Levy or Grant account with CITB can use their existing details to log in without registering again, although Levy and Grant access are requested separately so employers who only have Levy access will need to ‘request access to your employer’ and select Grant access in order submit grant applications.
CITB has published a range of guidance on signing up to and using the portal, and further support is available from your local CITB adviser. Whilst the existing route of submitting grant applications via email will remain available for the time being, CITB is encouraging all employers to start using CITB Online Services going forwards.
Source: Build UK / CITB
Digital Skills Passport
The My CSCS App provides the foundations of a ‘digital skills passport’ for the industry, as recommended by Mark Farmer in his Industry Training Board (ITB) Review published earlier this year, to enable Clients and other duty holders under the Building Safety Act to demonstrate and enforce the competence of individuals working on their projects.
The app holds an individual’s digital CSCS card, which is identical to the traditional plastic version and shows their photo, qualifications, training, occupation and the expiry date of the card. To help both cardholders and employers, the My Skills section within the app allows an individual to store in one place their qualifications; successful completion of the Health, Safety and Environment Test; and any additional training and CPD undertaken. Cardholders can then generate a CV‐style summary of the information within the app, which can be shared with employers as part of demonstrating the skills and knowledge elements of competence.
CSCS Smart Check can be used to digitally check all 2.3 million cards carrying the CSCS logo, and Build UK members should be using it across their projects and supply chain.
Source: Build UK / CSCS
Safety Helmets Webinar
Build UK member JSP is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 19 November from 10:30am to 11:30am on the standard for industrial protective helmets, which has recently been updated. EN 397:2025 introduces two new helmet types plus enhanced compatibility tests to improve how helmets work with other PPE. Members can register for the webinar to find out more.
Source: Build UK / JSP
Construction Report
Build UK member CIOB has published a new report exploring the industry’s capacity to meet demand for new homes and infrastructure. It highlights the challenges facing construction, including high volatility and uncertainty, and suggests the industry needs to change the business environment in which it operates by focussing on five areas.
Source: Build UK / CIOB
Net Zero Consultation
The CLC is consulting on a review of CO2nstruct Zero, the industry‐wide programme to reduce carbon emissions, in order to ensure the nine priorities and the metrics used to measure progress are aligned with the Seventh Carbon Budget. Members are invited to provide feedback via the consultation form by the deadline of Monday 17 November.
Source: Build UK / CLC
CPA Update
CPA Webinar: Construction Industry Forecasts – Autumn 2025 Edition
We would like to invite you and your respective members to join the CPA webinar for our Construction Industry Forecasts – Autumn 2025 Edition taking place on Wednesday 29th October at 11am . The webinar will cover the UK economy this year, the latest construction data, and the new construction forecasts for the key sectors, as well as highlighting key risks to the economy. The webinar will be hosted by Professor Noble Francis, CPA’s Economics director.
Click here to register.
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here including:
- S&P Global UK Construction PMI (September 2025)
- CIOB Capacity Constraints in Construction Report (October 2025)
- RICS UK Residential Market Survey (September 2025)
The CPA’s Summer forecasts were published on Monday, 28 July, and are available from the CPAWebsite, whilst its Autumn forecasts will be published on Monday 27 October.
Capacity constraints in construction: rethinking the business environment
The CPA contributed significantly to a new economic report by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) exploring the construction industry’s capacity to deliver on key targets and meet demand for new homes and infrastructure in the UK. The report can be found here.
Government Update
DESNZ Survey Request
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Product Standards team invites CPAmembers to take part in a short survey on Ecodesign requirements for standby, off-mode and networked standby. The aim of this survey is to gather evidence on the potential impacts if the UK aligns with the EU’s updated Regulation (EU) 2023/826, and to compare these with the current GB requirements under Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008. The EU’s updated rules would increase the stringency of requirements and bring additional products into scope. Your input will help DESNZ assess the implications for UK businesses and inform future policy.
The survey can be accessed via the following link: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90904374/Standby-Networked-Standby-Survey. It will ask some questions about your organisation, your product portfolio, and your views on the current and future requirements. A separate Excel file is provided for you to add technical and sales volume details about your products.
All responses will be viewed only by DESNZ and its research agencies and combined to build an anonymised, aggregate picture. If you are a trade association, you are welcome to provide association-level responses and/or coordinate input from your members.
Consultation on Late Payments
The Department for Business and Trade has launched a consultation seeking views on proposed legislative measures to ensure companies pay their suppliers quickly and on time, including measures to address the use of retention clauses in construction contracts. This is an important consultation for construction both in terms of the proposed options for retentions and the wider general payment measures. DBT wants CPA members to recognise that retentions may not be a direct issue for our manufacturers, but payment certainly is. The consultation runs for 12 weeks and closes on 23 October 2025. Further details can be found here.
Industrial emissions: modernising environmental permitting
Government is consulting on Industrial emissions: modernising environmental permitting – GOV.UK. The deadline is 21st October 2025 and more information can be found here.
Review of Government Buying Standards (GBS)
The Government is reviewing the Government Buying Standards – these are guidelines that state that any new government procured building should be BREEAM Excellent, and any major refurbishment should achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating. There are also GBS for product groups such as windows, wood products, paints and varnishes, domestic gas boilers, Showers, taps, toilets, and others. Defra has issued a stakeholder survey here and will be convening webinars in September. Find the GBS for different product groups here. For further information contact Jane Thornback.
September 2025 Update
SPRA Contractor Open Day Invitation at Renolit UK for Single Ply Professionals
Single ply roof contractors are being invited to take up the opportunity to attend the SPRA Renolit Contractor Open Day at from 10:15am—13:15pm on 5th November 2025 at Renolit UK, Cramlington, NE23 8AQ.
This is a friendly, free invitation to all single ply roofing professionals, whether you are an employee of a SPRA contractor member or not.
Get Ahead of the Game
The morning will start with a talk by Anthony Hogan, SPRA Technical Manager, on Five Things You Should Know About Single Ply Roofing. This is a great opportunity to brush up your technical knowledge and ensure quality installations.
Stay Informed
Ronan Brunton of SPRA will update contractors on competency and opportunities for single ply training.
Register Now
To find out more and register your interest, email enquiries@spra.co.uk.
Who Should Attend?
This event is aimed at anyone working for roofing contractors in buying/procurement, contracts management, design, estimating, site management and supervision, and surveying for single ply roofing.
Mental Health First Aid Course
Structured to help anyone engaged to better serve the needs of those who are experiencing mental health concerns, this Course will be delivered by Revd Kevin Fear, who was a Minister in Secular Employment working in Health & Safety in the construction industry. The details are below. Booking is through Eventbright and the cost is £45.
There are four Sessions to the course, spread over two consecutive weeks in November. To complete the course ALL FOUR SESSIONS must be attended.
Dates and times are:
Monday 10 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Thursday 13 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Monday 17 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Thursday 20 November – 09:30 to 1pm
Here is the link to book – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-first-aid-on-line-tickets-1668357324669?aff=oddtdtcreator
Training & Competency Development
SPRA are running a number of training and competency development opportunities. These include Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) as well as upskilling, assessment and training (SUP/OSAT) for contractors’ installers.
These high-quality specialist training programmes for single ply roofers can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates and CITB registered companies can also access CITB grant funding.
New SPRA SAP starting at Welwyn Garden City in January. The dates for the 5-week training course are as follows:
26th-30th January 2026
16th -20th March 2026
22nd -26th June 2026
24th– 28th August 2026
26th-30th October 2026
Funding is available for registered companies with CITB. Enquire and register your trainees now at training@spra.co.uk
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
These online sessions based on existing SPRA published guidance are very popular with members and non-members. They consist of a set of three 2-hour sessions online. The sessions are based on the SPRA guidance document Wind Loading – Protocol for calculations (S11b/19) with extensive reference to the appropriate standards and other industry guidance that underpin this document. SPRA members again benefit from reduced course rates.
Contact SPRA for further information enquiries@spra.co.uk
Wishing all SPRA members a safe and productive week
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly.
Source: CCPI
Build UK Update
Common Assessment Standard
Following publication of the latest version of the Common Assessment Standard on 1 July, the Building Safety section is now mandatory for all companies that carry out work under the Building Safety Act. A number of Build UK members have specified that companies in their supply chain must have successfully completed this section by 1 October 2025.
Those members include BAM, Bowmer + Kirkland, Galliford Try, Kier, Mace, Morgan Sindall, Tilbury Douglas, VINCI and Wates, and companies working for any of these organisations should check that they have now completed the Building Safety section. Our guide to the Common Assessment Standard question set includes guidance on answering the questions, including the evidence that can be submitted to support a response and where further information can be found.
Companies that have achieved the Common Assessment Standard from any one of the Recognised Assessment Bodies do not need to obtain certification again from any others. Instead, they can agree to share their data at no cost with the other Recognised Assessment Bodies so it is visible to more Contractors and Clients. Don’t duplicate: giving permission to share your data is quick and simple and will help businesses across the supply chain to save time, reduce costs and win work.
The final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry included a recommendation to introduce a licensing scheme for Principal Contractors wishing to work on Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs). Build UK has met with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to present the Common Assessment Standard, which is already used by over 21,000 suppliers to demonstrate their organisational capability. As a next step, we have been asked by MHCLG to host a joint roundtable with members that undertake the role of Principal Contractor on HRBs to discuss the objectives of a licensing scheme and how existing initiatives such as the Common Assessment Standard might be used effectively.
Source: Build UK / CAS
Inclusive PPE Standard
The BSI has published BS 30417, a free new standard providing practical guidance on how to ensure PPE is inclusive and appropriate for all users. It covers selection and procurement, fit testing and adjustments, and the provision of training and information to help companies meet their legal duty to provide suitable PPE.
Source: Build UK / BSI
Excessive Noise Risks
RAAC Update
The Government has issued an update on the remediation of schools and hospitals with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which states that 60% of the schools and 50% of the hospitals affected by RAAC have had it removed entirely or are in the process of doing so.
Source: Build Uk / Uk Gov
Build UK Publishes Guidance on Gateway Three
Building on our Gateway Two guidance, Build UK has published an overview of Gateway Three and the information and documents that must be included within an application to theBuilding Safety Regulator (BSR) for a Completion Certificate for a Higher-RiskBuilding (HRB). Gateway Three is a new application process which requires all the information to be submitted, even where it was previously provided as part of the Gateway Two application.
The Build UK guide is aligned with the BSR application portal and sets out the full list of questions that must be completed, including whether they are multiple choice, free text or a PDF document upload, to make it as easy as possible for members preparing and submitting a Gateway Three application. If a Partial Completion Strategy was agreed at Gateway Two and part of the building is intended to be occupied before work is completed on the rest of the building, then a Partial Completion Certificate must be applied for in relation to the work that has been completed. As is the case at Gateway Two, the BSR will carry out an initial assessment of the Gateway Three application to ensure that all the documents required have been submitted, which is known as the validation stage.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published updated guidance on the Fire Safety (England) Regulations in relation to the fire performance of flat entrance doors in existing blocks of flats. Designed to help Responsible Persons comply with their obligations to check that fire doors are regularly checked and remain suitable in accordance with the fire risk assessment originally undertaken, the update clarifies that the regulations do not require all existing flat entrance doors to be replaced to satisfy current standards for new blocks of flats as required by theBuilding Regulations.
The BSR and the Leasehold Advisory Service have launched a free online building safety training programme for Resident Management Companies to help them understand the Building Safety Act and their legal obligations for managing safety in High-Rise Residential Buildings.
Source: Build UK / BSR
Inspiring Careers in Construction
Construction needs to recruit almost 50,000 extra workers a year, and one of the best ways to show what our industry has to offer is to participate in Open Doors. At our Open Doors Coordinators meeting last week, we outlined our plans to take visitors behind the scenes of construction during Open Doors 2026 from Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March.
We highlighted the benefits of hosting events, including direct recruitment, developing relationships with local schools and colleges, and sourcing candidates for work experience opportunities – as well as playing your part in showcasing the range of careers available in construction. 88% of the record 7,000 visitors in 2025 stated that they were more likely to consider a career in the industry after their visit, and you can all help us to recruit the next generation by opening up your sites, offices, training centres and manufacturing facilities across the UK.
Events for Open Doors 2026 can be registered on the Open Doors website from Monday 6 October, and further information can be found in our latest Open Doors update.
Source: Build UK
Contract Terms Recommendation
- Fitness for Purpose – Do not include a ‘fitness for purpose’ standard of care for design (except in the process sector)
- Unquantifiable Risks – Do not include delay/loss and expense risk where not reasonably ascertainable for dealing with asbestos; fossils, antiquities and other objects of interest or value; unexploded ordnance; and the carrying out by statutory bodies of work in pursuance of their statutory obligations
- ‘Specified Perils’ – Do not include that ‘Specified Perils’ (as defined in JCT) will not give rise to extension of time where caused by the (sub-)contractor
- Breach of Contract – Do not include a blanket indemnity for breach of contract
- Uncapped Liabilities – Do not include uncapped (sub-)contractor liability (save for certain aggregate cap carve-outs)
- Performance Securities – Do not use a pure on-demand performance bond; a Parent Company Guarantee (PCG) which does not include a ‘no greater liability’ clause and equivalent rights of defence; or a collateral warranty which does not include a ‘no greater liability’ clause.
Build UK have published comprehensive guidance to help implement the recommendation, explaining why each term should not be used and setting out ways to manage the underlying issues more effectively, with specific guidance for JCT and NEC contracts. The recommendation is non‐binding and Build UK members are free to negotiate their own contractual terms with their clients.
Source: Build UK
CPA State of Trade Survey – Q3 Questionnaire
From CPA Head of Construction Research Rebecca Larkin
The CPA’s State of Trade Survey for Q3 is now open. Please can I ask you to fill in (or send on to someone else in your organisation or your members to complete) on the state of trade in your materials or products sub-sector during the July-September period of 2025.
The deadline is the end of Monday 6 October and we would encourage you to respond so that we can present a comprehensive view of our industry’s near-term performance. The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPASurvey25Q3. All responses are kept strictly confidentially and results will be presented on an aggregate basis only.
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The U.S. tariff and global trade issues information has been paused, as there have been no further updates or changes in recent weeks. However, if tariffs and international trade become significant issues once again, then the CPA will restart the tariff information updates.
The latest weekly update is available here including:
- New Construction Minister (September 2025)
- RIBA Future Trends Survey (August 2025)
- Insolvency Service Construction Insolvencies (July 2025)
The CPA’s Summer forecasts were published on Monday, 28 July, and are available from the CPA Website. If you prefer not to receive these emails, then let me know.
Government Update
Ministerial Responsibilities Finalised
After the recent reshuffle it often takes a little time for individual ministers responsibilities to be finalised. This has now happened and responsibilities have been confirmed for all Ministers. Chiefly for our industry are the two junior Ministers and their responsibilities who are as follows:
Samantha Dixon MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy) MHCLG
Building safety, regulations, Building Safety Regulator and remediation, Net Zero and energy efficiency, Grenfell Inquiry response, Grenfell Community, Tower and Memorial, Fire policy and operations, Resilience, recovery, and emergencies, Elections policy, Planning casework.
Chris McDonald MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Industry) DBT & DESNZ
DBT responsibilities include:
advanced manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, chemicals and plastics, construction, infrastructure, maritime and shipbuilding, steel, materials and critical minerals, Industrial Development Advisory Board, defence
DESNZ responsibilities include:
Office For Clean Energy Jobs, green jobs and skills, green growth sectors, energy sector supply chains, energy infrastructure investments, industrial decarbonisation and emissions trading, including fuel switching, carbon leakage, industrial energy bill.
DESNZ Survey Request
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Product Standards team invites CPA members to take part in a short survey on Ecodesign requirements for standby, off-mode and networked standby. The aim of this survey is to gather evidence on the potential impacts if the UK aligns with the EU’s updated Regulation (EU) 2023/826, and to compare these with the current GB requirements under Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008. The EU’s updated rules would increase the stringency of requirements and bring additional products into scope. Your input will help DESNZ assess the implications for UK businesses and inform future policy.
The survey can be accessed via the following link: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90904374/Standby-Networked-Standby-Survey. It will ask some questions about your organisation, your product portfolio, and your views on the current and future requirements. A separate Excel file is provided for you to add technical and sales volume details about your products.
All responses will be viewed only by DESNZ and its research agencies and combined to build an anonymised, aggregate picture. If you are a trade association, you are welcome to provide association-level responses and/or coordinate input from your members.
Consultation on Late Payments
The Department for Business and Trade has launched a consultation seeking views on proposed legislative measures to ensure companies pay their suppliers quickly and on time, including measures to address the use of retention clauses in construction contracts. This is an important consultation for construction both in terms of the proposed options for retentions and the wider general payment measures. DBT wants CPA members to recognise that retentions may not be a direct issue for our manufacturers, but payment certainly is. The consultation runs for 12 weeks and closes on 23 October 2025. Further details can be found here.
Industry News
Update from the Building Safety Regulator:
Members will know that the CPA and a handful of Construction Leadership Council representatives have weekly meetings with the Building Safety Regulator and over the past year those discussions have been very focused on the Gateway 2 delays. These have been immensely challenging conversations for both the BSR and industry, simultaneously recognising the need to raise the standards of applications whilst the construction sector has incurred serious economic repercussions because of project delays. This update (excerpt below) from the BSR and CLC hopefully reflects a turning point and progress, knowing that much still needs to be done:
The Government, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and firms in the construction industry, are committed to working together to deliver buildings that are safe for those who live and work in them. For the past two years, the CLC has been working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the BSR to address the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations, improve competence, and transform industry culture and performance in relation to building safety.
The CLC began weekly meetings with the BSR in July 2024, to address industry concerns in relation to the operation of the building control regime for new Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs). These meetings focused on reducing the delays in the building control application approval process at Gateway 2 and Gateway 3, including through providing clearer joint guidance on the process and information requirements, as well as ensuring greater engagement between the BSR and applicants. As a result of those discussions and the subsequent task and finish group established by the CLC, a suite of Guidance was recently published. The guidance suite was developed for industry via a collaboration between the CLC, BSR and industry stakeholders. The aim of the guidance is to help both those involved in submitting and assessing Building Control Approval applications at Gateway 2. While the guidance was developed for new build HRBs, many of the principles will also be helpful for existing HRBs.
Meetings continue to take place on a fortnightly basis between the CLC and the BSR to work through issues on an ongoing basis and find solutions collaboratively with further guidance for industry to follow in due course.
Following the recent announcement about the future of the BSR, Andy Roe, formerly the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, will be the Non-Executive Chair of the BSR, which will ultimately become an Executive Agency of MHCLG. An Innovation Delivery Unit and a new Fast Track Process for new build applications have also been introduced.
There is still much that needs to be done to fully enable the efficient operation of the building safety regime…. We look forward to working with you more over the coming months and will be in touch again shortly.
Review of Government Buying Standards (GBS)
The Government is reviewing the Government Buying Standards – these are guidelines that state that any new government procured building should be BREEAM Excellent, and any major refurbishment should achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating. There are also GBS for product groups such as windows, wood products, paints and varnishes, domestic gas boilers, Showers, taps, toilets, and others. Defra has issued a stakeholder survey here and will be convening webinars in September. Find the GBS for different product groups here. For further information contact Jane Thornback.
Regulatory science challenges to the uptake of innovation for Net Zero in retrofit
CPA is a project partner in this Innovate-UK funded network project to explore the regulatory challenges to the uptake of innovation for Net Zero in Retrofit. This one-year project is now entering its third quarter and the Network (BRE, National Retrofit Hub, National Energy Foundation) will convene an open meeting for anyone interested in learning about progress on 29 September 2025 from 13.30 to 15.00. Register at RetroNetZero RS&IN – BRE Group Events. For further information contact Jane Thornback
Source: CPA
Changes to CITB Funding
CITB has announced a number of changes to its grants and funding system with the aim of making it easier for employers to access financial support for training and development. With an increasing number of employers claiming funding, the changes are designed to help streamline the support that CITB provides to the industry.
- From 1 September 2025, any short qualification achieved at an ‘Award’ level will receive the grant value of £240, rather than £600. CITB has confirmed that this reflects the fact that the cost of undertaking ‘Award’ level qualifications is generally lower because they typically have a shorter duration with fewer modules to complete.
- The Skills & Training Fund will close from 30 September 2025, and the Employer Networks will become the single route for employers to apply for funding to develop their businesses. Employer Networks fund up to 70% of training costs whilst reducing the administrative burden for employers by identifying suitable training and providers and supporting the booking process.
- The grant uplift for specific supervisory and management qualifications to replace Industry Accreditation cards will now be removed at the end of December 2025, rather than the end of March 2026, after supporting more individuals than expected. Employers will receive a grant of £600 for these qualifications once the uplift is removed.
CITB is planning to launch a newonline portal this month to make it easier for employers to apply for apprenticeship and qualification grants and track the status of their applications. More skills and training news can be found in our latest Recruit, Train and Retain update.
Source: CITB
Women In Construction Leadership & Management Courses
In a sector where demand for talent is at an all-time high, womenremain an untapped force. The latest CITB Apprenticeships Paper (Feb 2025) warns of a 250,000-worker shortfall by 2028, yet female representation in construction apprenticeships is still frustratingly low.
The challenge isn’t ability. It’s access. Women complete training, but too often face cultural and structural barriers that make the leap from classroom to site, then site to senior roles harder than it should be.
The Leading with Motivational Intelligence Executive Diploma, delivered by Women in Construction: The Power Within Her, equips women to lead differently and change the game from within. Backed by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and eligible for full CITB funding, this accredited course gives you the tools to:
- Lead teams and projects in high-pressure environments
- Build inclusive, high-trust site cultures where diverse talent thrives
- Mentor and motivate apprentices through the challenges of on-site work
- Navigate and influence workplace change with confidence
Who This Is For:
- Women in construction roles ready to step into leadership
- Employers committed to retaining diverse talent
- Organisations that see inclusive leadership as a competitive advantage
Course Format:
- Live Zoom sessions + modular online content
- 24/7 access to expert mentors
- Fully accredited and CITB-funded
The industry needs more than just workers. It needs leaders who can turn today’s apprentices into tomorrow’s experts.
Source: WIC
August 2025 Update
SPRA Golf Day – Countdown to 4th September 2025
It’s almost time. The SPRA Golf Day returns to the prestigious Carden Park in Cheshire next week on Thursday 4th September 2025.
This much-anticipated event brings members and their guests together for a superb day of sport and networking. Competitors will take on the renowned Nicklaus championship course, before enjoying a memorable evening of entertainment, a formal dinner, and the golf awards presentation.
Tickets are now sold out – the countdown is on!
NexGen Working Group – Join this SPRA initiative and support industry recruitment
This is your opportunity to help and support an active programme to inform and recruit young people into single ply roofing. Contact SPRA today and join the next meeting online contact SPRA.
SPRA AGM 2025 18th September– Register to attend online
This year’s SPRA AGM will be held online on 18th September at 09.30am on the Zoom platform. Please register to attend by contacting SPRA here contact SPRA.
SPRA Council – Nominations and Council positions confirmed for 2025
SPRA Council nominations were open in recent weeks and all positions available were nominated for and filled as required by the closing deadline. As a result, and as previously mentioned Martyn Holloway (SFS – Associate Member) steps down from Council at the next AGM after many years’ service, including laterally as SPRA Chair up to September 2024.
The result of the nominations received to the various positions available on Council is as follows.
Contractor Members Representatives: Gavin Bowers (IPS Group), Neil Harrison (Briggs Amasco) and Simon Woodman (Anvil Roofing) were all nominated and entitled to rejoin the Council as contractor member representatives from the next AGM.
Associate Members Representative: Simon Fieldon (SFS) was nominated and joins Council from the next AGM.
Membrane Manufacturer Member Representative: Melanie Marquard (Protan UK) was nominated and entitled to rejoin Council and retain position as SPRA Chair from the next AGM.
Affiliate/Distributor Member Representative: Daniel Bosworth (Accuroof) was nominated and joins Council from the next AGM.
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
Our popular online WLCP training, based on SPRA’s published guidance, continues to attract both members and non-members. Delivered as three 2-hour sessions, the training is aligned with SPRA’s Wind Loading – Protocol for Calculations (S11b/19), referencing key standards and industry guidance. SPRA members receive discounted rates.
For more information or to register your interest, contact SPRA.
New NVQ Level 2 in Single Ply Roofing – Sign up your trainees NOW !
SPRA is pleased to announce that new NVQ Level 2 programmes in Single Ply Roofing are being planned for later this year and early next year. Now is the time to register your interest and give your employees the opportunity to gain a skilled worker qualification in single ply roofing.
Alongside this, SPRA continues to offer a range of training and competency development opportunities, including the Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) and the SUP/OSAT routes for installer upskilling and assessment. These high-quality programmes can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates, and CITB-registered companies can access CITB grant funding.
SPRA Contractor Open Days – Information available shortly on Autumn dates.
Three SPRA membrane manufacturers have signed up to host a SPRA Contractor Open Day being run in October and November. Look out for details arriving in your mailbox shortly. These informative short face to face sessions provide contractors with crucial information on guidance and training and are a must attend for managers and supervisors (10.00am-1.30pm – Lunch included).
Sign up here contact SPRA.
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly.
Newly scheduled How & Why of CCPI Webinar
CCPI is a ‘must have’ for businesses who want to be part of the future of the industry…
Join the growing community of brands on a mission to transform the quality of construction product information and marketing so that it is clear, accurate, accessible, up-to-date and unambiguous.
Major contractors and house-builders – the CCPI Demand-side Supporters – want products carrying the unique CCPI Assessed mark.
Working with CCPI means you can offer your customers greater confidence in your product information and marketing. They support regulatory compliance too – helping you keep on the right side of the law now and, as new regulations come in, helping you be in great shape to comply.
This particular webinar will cover a wide range of topics with a special focus on product sets.
To attend the webinar on 9th September at 11am please register at the link below:
Source: CCPI
Build UK Update
Building Safety Guidance Updated
With data from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) showing that only a third of applications for Building Control Approval for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) have been approved to date, Build UK has updated its overview of Gateway Two to provide further details on the information that must be included within applications for new and existing HRBs.
The Build UK guide has been aligned with the BSR application portal and now sets out the full list of questions that must be completed, including whether they are multiple choice, free text or a pdf document upload, to make it as easy as possible for members preparing and submitting an application. We have also republished our guides on the Golden Thread and Mandatory Occurrence Reporting to support members in meeting the requirements of the building safety regime.
The BSR is hosting regular webinars to provide practical support on the process of applying for Building Control Approval, and recent ones aimed at developers of new build HRBs and Principal Accountable Persons (PAPs) are now available to watch free on demand.
Source: Build Uk / BSR
Building Safety Call – Wednesday 17 September – 8:30am
Build UK will be joined by Andy Roe, the recently appointed chair of the new shadow board of MHCLG that will take over the functions of the BSR, giving members the opportunity to hear directly from the new leadership team at the BSR. Contact Build UK for further information.
Source: Build UK/BSR
Navigating the Building Safety Regime
Build UK is delighted to be supporting theBuilding the Future Conference again this year, hosted by Building magazine. The one‐day event is taking place onThursday 2 Octoberat 155 Bishopsgate in central London and will bring together leading industry experts to explore the biggest issues facing construction including building safety.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol OBE will be chairing a Building Safety Panel focussed on competence at 11:30am, with speakers including Andy Roe (Building Safety Regulator) and Build UK members Paul Brown (John Sisk & Son), Rachel Davidson (BESA) and Brett King (Procore). All the panel sessions will be fully interactive giving you the chance to have your say and put questions to the speakers. Build UK members will receive a 20% discount whenbooking places using the code‘BUILDUK20’, meaning tickets are available for just £168 + VAT per person.
Build UK’s next Building Safety call is now taking place onWednesday 17 September at 8:30amwhere we will be joined by Andy Roe, the recently appointed chair of the new shadow board of MHCLG that will take over the functions of the BSR. With the opportunity to hear directly from thenew leadership team at the BSR, it is a must attend call and your nominated Building Safety representative should have received the updated calendar invitation.
Source: Build UK/Building Magazine
Don’t Duplicate, Data Share!
The Common Assessment Standard is being used by a growing number of organisations across the industry to demonstrate that members of their supply chains have the organisational capability to fulfil their duties under the Building Safety Act. Pagabo and Structure Tone are the latest to specify it, and a full list is on the Build UK website.
Companies that have the Common Assessment Standard from any one of the Recognised Assessment Bodies do not need to obtain certification from any others. Instead, they can agree to share their data at no cost with the other Recognised Assessment Bodies so it is visible to more Contractors and Clients. Don’t duplicate: anyone wishing to see a reduction in the bureaucracy of pre-qualification should be sharing their data rather than getting the Common Assessment Standard from multiple Recognised Assessment Bodies. Giving permission to share your data is quick and simple and will help businesses across the supply chain to save time and money and win work.
Source: Build Uk
Stay on Right Side of Competition Law
Following the introduction of the Procurement Act earlier this year, which has strengthened rules to prevent suppliers who pose particular risks from taking part in public procurement, companies caught breaking competition law now face being excluded from public sector contracts under a new exclusion and debarment regime.
Companies that participate in anti-competitive behaviour, such as bid rigging and cover pricing, risk mandatory exclusion from individual public procurements, as well as being added to the new central debarment list, which would result in automatic exclusion from all public procurements for up to five years. Companies may avoid exclusion if they can demonstrate that they have ‘self-cleaned’ and the circumstances that led to the exclusion are not continuing or are unlikely to occur again. Any company that has acted illegally, or witnesses or suspects another company of doing so, is advised to contact the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Build UK has published guidance on preventing anti‐competitive behaviour in construction with the support of Wedlake Bell LLP, and the CMA is hosting a free webinar specifically for construction firms on competition law on Wednesday 24 September from 3:00pm to 3:45pm.
Source: Build UK/CMA
BS 99001 Review
The BSI is currently reviewingBS 99001, the quality management standard for construction which builds on ISO 9001 with sector‐specific requirements for areas such as design quality and inspection and test plans. Members can share feedback via anonline surveyuntilThursday 9 October.
Construction Colleges
The Government hasconfirmedthe 10 Construction Technical Excellence Colleges across England that will train 40,000 construction learners by 2029. This is one of the measures included within the£625 million of funding announced by Government in March to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers by the end of this Parliament.
Priority Skills
Skills England has published an assessment of priority skills to understand future employment and training needs across ten critical sectors. It reveals that housebuilding has the third greatest additional employment demand until 2030, with the majority of workers in the sector requiring either Level 2 or Level 3. qualifications.
Get Set for Open Doors 2026
Recruiting the next generation is vital if we are to maintain the pipeline of talent coming into the industry, and one of the most effective ways to showcase what we have to offer is by getting involved in Open Doors. The Countdown to Open Doors 2026 is already underway, and we will be hosting events across the UK from Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March!
To help members prepare, we will be holding a meeting for Open Doors Coordinators on Thursday 11 September from 2:00pm – 3:00pm where we will be sharing our plans for #OpenDoors26 and answering your questions. With the support of our network of Open Doors Partners, we will cover the benefits of getting involved following a record Open Doors 2025 and what you can do now to make sure you are ready to register events on the Open Doors website from Monday 6 October. Your nominated Open Doors Coordinators should have received an invitation to the meeting, and please email us to connect.
Source: Build UK
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here, including:
- ONS UK CPI Inflation (July 2025)
- RIBA Future Trends Survey (July 2025)
The CPA’s Summer Forecasts, published 28 July, are available for members to download from the CPA Website.
CPA Briefing Paper: The Impacts of U.S. Tariffs
Following strong demand from members and government alike, the CPA’s economics team has published a briefing paper on the ‘Impacts of U.S. Tariffs’. This document will be revised as the situation develops, and made available to CPA members every Friday with our Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update (see above). To receive this document via email every Friday please contact noble.francis@constructionproducts.org.uk; alternatively, you can click here to read it now.
Parliament is now in Recess until the 1st September
The Department for Business and Trade has launched a consultation seeking views on proposed legislative measures to ensure companies pay their suppliers quickly and on time, including measures to address the use of retention clauses in construction contracts. This is an important consultation for construction both in terms of the proposed options for retentions and the wider general payment measures. DBT wants CPA members to recognise that retentions may not be a direct issue for our manufacturers, but payment certainly is. The consultation runs for 12 weeks and closes on 23 October 2025. Further details can be found here.
House of Lords call for Evidence on the Building Safety Regulator
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, has launched an inquiry into building safety regulation, with a particular focus on the work of the Building Safety Regulator, which was established following the Building Safety Act 2022. Concerns have been raised by Industry that delays in approvals by the BSR have slowed down the delivery of new buildings and homes. The Committee invites interested individuals and organisations to submit evidence here by 31 August 2025.
Review of Government Buying Standards (GBS)
The Government is reviewing the Government Buying Standards – these are guidelines that state that any new government procured building should be BREEAM Excellent, and any major refurbishment should achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating. There are also GBS for product groups such as windows, wood products, paints and varnishes, domestic gas boilers, Showers, taps, toilets, and others. Defra has issued a stakeholder survey here and will be convening webinars in September. Find the GBS for different product groups here. For further information contact Jane Thornback.
Government consultation on growing the market for low carbon industrial products – deadline 15 Sept
A reminder that there is just over one month left to respond to this government consultation on a technical consultation on a policy framework to grow the market for low carbon industrial products The CPA will be making a response and convened on 14 August as an opportunity for CPA members to engage with DESNZ officials directly. If you have views on the consultation, please do get in touch by contacting CPA Sustainability Policy Advisor Jane Thornback.
Building Safety Webinars
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will be hosting a joint webinar on Tuesday 9 September, 10am to 12 noon on Building Control Approval applications. The free webinar is aimed at developers in the construction industry who want to approach building control approval applications effectively, avoiding common mistakes. A panel discussion will cover the recently published CLC guidance for the Building Control Approval application process for a new Higher-Risk Building (HRB).
The CLC guidance suite was published in July 2025 and was developed by the CLC, BSR and industry experts. The guidance aims to provide the baseline principles to guide those involved in submitting and assessing applications for Building Control Approval applications (Gateway 2). While the guidance was developed for new build HRBs, many of the principles will also be helpful for existing HRBs. In addition, the BSR will also run the following webinars:
17 September – 10am to 12 noon – Building Control Approval demystified for SME developers
24 September – 10am to 12 noon – Building Assessment Certificate applications – lessons learned
You can register for the webinars here.
Building Safety Regulator Bulletin
The latest bulletin from the Regulator is available and includes updates on building control applications along with expert-led webinars. Click here to read the latest.
National Manufacturing Day – 25 September 2025
National Manufacturing Day is an initiative from Make UK and more than 300 manufacturing businesses and organisations including the CPA that is meant to showcase the UK industry and inspire the next generation of engineers, designers, and wider workforce by showing them the exciting career opportunities in your sector. Whether you’re a small local manufacturer or a household name, this is the perfect platform to open your doors and share your story with the future talent, the public and government. To learn more, please visit National Manufacturing Day or contact the team at Make UK with your questions.
Source: CPA
AI-Powered Skills Forum 25th September 2025
Have Your Say on the Skills Crisis in Roofing & Cladding
Is recruitment, retention, and skills development in our industry harder than ever? Or have you found new ways to bring in – and keep – the right people?
Join our Online Skills Forum on Friday 25 September, 14:00–15:00, powered by Natter (an AI-driven discussion platform).
What you’ll get from the session:
✔️ Share your experiences (anonymously if you wish)
✔️ Exchange ideas and best practices with others in the industry
✔️ Help create an Employment Action Plan to support new entrants, apprentices, and businesses
Register here: Skills Forum
This event is open to business owners, colleagues, subcontractors – and anyone in your network who can contribute. Please share!
💡 About Natter: It’s an AI-powered tool that connects participants via video, gathers insights, and produces collective learnings – no apps or downloads required.
Let’s come together and shape the future workforce of the roofing and cladding industry. Will you be part of the conversation?
July 2025 Update
SPRA Golf Day 2025 – Carden Park, Cheshire – 4th September 2025
Get ready for another fantastic day of sport and networking as the SPRA Golf Day returns to the stunning Carden Park in Cheshire!
Taking place on 4th September 2025, this popular event offers members and their guests the chance to compete on the renowned Nicklaus championship course, followed by a lively evening of entertainment, a lavish dinner, and the golf awards presentation. New for this year – there will also be activities available for non-golfers to enjoy the incredible facilities at the venue.
Tickets for the SPRA Golf Day are almost gone – book yours today to secure your spot on the green! Click here to book now
There are still a few opportunities to be a SPRA sponsor at this fabulous SPRA event. Contact enquiries@spra.co.uk for further information.
SPRA Council Elections – Nominations – Open 5th August until 20th August
This is your time to get involved!
SPRA is a highly respected, pro-active and forward-thinking trade association that works hard for its members and for the industry as a whole. A strong SPRA Council plays an important part in this and at election time we are always looking for dynamic individuals who want to give something back to our industry sector, who can promote the SPRA spirit and want to steer the organisation to even greater influence in both the roofing and wider sector to promote high quality, competence and sector standards.
1 Distributor / Affiliate, 3 Associate, 4 Membrane, 4 Contractor, 1 Technical Committee Chair
Number of Council positions available to vote for this year
1 Distributor / Affiliate, 1 Associate, 1 Membrane, 3 Contractor
According to the SPRA Articles of Association, the main Council Elections will take place over the coming weeks. This involves the election of Council members for each membership category. Any organisation can only hold one place on the Council.
NexGen Working Group – promote the next generation of roofing professionals in single ply membrane systems
Following an introduction by SPRA Chair, Melanie Marquard, at the recent SPRA Awards, to bring focus on promoting single ply roofing to school and college students by forming a SPRA Working Group on the subject, it is proposed to form a working group. Could you please register your interest in participating in this group here.
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
Our popular online WLCP training, based on SPRA’s published guidance, continues to attract both members and non-members. Delivered as three 2-hour sessions, the training is aligned with SPRA’s Wind Loading – Protocol for Calculations (S11b/19), referencing key standards and industry guidance. SPRA members receive discounted rates.
Contact SPRA for further information and to register your employees now, please quote “Wind Load Enquiry’.
New NVQ Level 2 in Single Ply Roofing – Coming to Northern England and Scotland
SPRA is pleased to announce that new NVQ Level 2 programmes in Single Ply Roofing are being planned for Northern England and, separately, for Scotland in early 2026. Now is the time to register your interest and give your employees the opportunity to gain a skilled worker qualification in single ply roofing. Email us at enquiries@spar.co.uk to register your interest.
Alongside this, SPRA continues to offer a range of training and competency development opportunities, including the Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) and the SUP/OSAT routes for installer upskilling and assessment. These high-quality programmes can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates, and CITB-registered companies can access CITB grant funding.
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly
Build UK Update
Building Safety Update
The Government has laid the draft Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations and published guidance to support the levy’s operation from 1 October 2026. The levy will be charged on residential developments resulting in at least 10 new dwellings or 30 new bedspaces in purpose-built student accommodation and new residential floorspace.
Local authorities will act as the collecting authority for the levy, which will be calculated on the floorspace of the development and charged on applications forBuilding Control Approval, and the levy rates per square metre for each local authority have been confirmed. Social housing and support housing residential developments will be exempt from the levy.The BSR has appointed CROSS-UKas the official Voluntary Occurrence Reporting system for fire and structural safety issues relating to buildings and other structures in the UK until at least 2028. Further information, including how to submit a confidential report, can be found on the CROSS-UK website.
Build UK will be responding to theinquiry into the BSR being undertaken by the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee. The evidence received through the inquiry is expected to help the new leadership team at the BSR understand what is working and what could be improved, and members can inform theBuildUKresponse bysharing their thoughts via email byFriday 15 August.
Source: Build Uk / BSR
CLC HSW Strategy
The CLC has launched its Health, Safety & Wellbeing Strategy, which is focused on tackling the key challenges facing the sector. With the latest figures from the HSE showing construction accounted for the highest number of fatalities in 2024/25, the CLC priorities include reducing fatal accidents on site, as well as improving mental health. Any members interested in getting involved should contact the CLC.
CLC GW2 Guidance
The CLC has published a suite of guidance to provide practical recommendations on approaching and submitting applications for Building Control Approval for new Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) at Gateway Two, which includes example documents for a project summary, application strategy, and application folder structure.
Source: Build Uk / CLC
Construction Fatalities
According to provisional statistics from the HSE, construction accounted for the highest number of fatalities (35) in 2024/25 but it was ‘back in line’ with the pre-COVID level after a higher than normal rate for the last two years. Build UK is the only industry organisation to publish an annual accident report with data for tier one Contractors.
Source: Build Uk / HSE
Remediating Unsafe Cladding
The Government has published a joint plan with the social housing sector to accelerate the remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding across England and set out plans for new legislation that will require landlords to remediate eligible buildings by a specified date, as part of the second phase of the Remediation Acceleration Plan.
The Government will invest over £1 billion to give social landlords equal access to Government funding schemes as private building owners with immediate effect, as set out in the updated guidance to the Cladding Safety Scheme. Government funding will also be made available to support fire safety cladding remediation works on buildings under 11 metres in exceptional cases where no alternative viable funding route exists.
A new Remediation Bill will be introduced as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows, which will require landlords of buildings 18 metres or over with unsafe cladding to complete remediation by the end of 2029, and those of buildings 11 – 18 metres by the end of 2031, otherwise they could face criminal prosecution, including unlimited fines and imprisonment.
Source: Build Uk / UK Government
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here, including:
- RIBA Future Trends Survey (June 2025)
- Wickes Trading Update (July 2025)
- Howden Joinery Trading Update (July 2025)
The CPA’s Summer Forecasts were published on Monday, 28 July and are available for members to download from the CPA Website.
Source: CPA
CPA Briefing Paper: The Impacts of U.S. Tariffs
Following strong demand from members and government alike, the CPA’s economics team has published a briefing paper on the ‘Impacts of U.S. Tariffs’. This document will be revised as the situation develops, and made available to CPA members every Friday with our Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update (see above).
To receive this document via email every Friday please contact noble.francis@constructionproducts.org.uk; alternatively, you can click here to read it now.
Source: CPA
BSR Releases Gateway 2 Guidance
The guidance forms one of the CLC key deliverables around this issue and we hope will provide the means and confidence to improve the system. The CPA is also lobbying for greater visibility and monthly data around the current applications including clarity about expected approval dates and reasons for rejections; more resources and upskilling at the Regulator, as well as further improvements to the application ‘customer journey’.
Karl Whiteman, Berkeley Group Plc Divisional Chairman and Industry Sponsor for the CLC’s Building Safety Workstream, said: “On behalf of the CLC I want to thank the many expert contributors to these guidance notes, including members of Local Authority Building Control, Construction Industry Council (CIC) Industry Council, Build UK, the The G15 (a membership group of London’s leading housing associations), Construction Products Association, RIBA, Architectural Technical Leads Group and the Home Builders Federation.”
The CPA will continue to have regular meetings – both privately and alongside the CLC – with the BSR, Office for Product Safety and Standards, and MHCLG around such issues and will keep you updated. The CLC release can be read here.
Source: CPA / BSR
CPA Construction Industry Forecasts – Summer 2025
The fundamentals in the UK construction market remain essentially unchanged from three months ago, but the risks and uncertainties have increased significantly.
On the positive side, activity for house builders continues to recover gradually, and a renewed focus from the government on capital expenditure may boost public sector house building and infrastructure in the long-term.
On the negative side, in the near-term, private housing rm&i activity remains subdued, and the impact of rises in the National Living Wage and employers’ National Insurance Contributions, and lower thresholds, may hit contractor margins. Furthermore, increasing concerns over government debt suggest that the government may either increase taxes again or cut back on its spending plans, potentially doing both.
Construction output is still expected to rise over the forecast period, but the only clear certainty is uncertainty.
A link to the press release can be found here: https://www.constructionproducts.org.uk/news-media-events/news/2025/july/cpa-releases-summer-forecasts-2025/
Source: CPA
CPA Sustainability – Environmental Product Declarations – Briefing Papers
The Construction Products Association have a useful resource on Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) on their website. These are a number of short Briefing Papers which seek to explain various aspects of EPD whether it is a basic introduction right or very detailed technical issues.
You can access the general landing webpage for EPD Briefing Papers here:
Or else, below are direct links to specific topics – which you can download:
I’m a manufacturer – How do I go about getting an EPD?
What is meant by the construction product lifecycle?
Types of EPD & their advantages and disadvantages
EPD: Comparability: A Technical Review
EPD: Uncertainty: A Technical Review
How does an EPD consider embodied carbon?
Is the carbon content of a construction product the same as its embodied carbon: An introduction?
How do EPD consider the carbon content of a construction product: A Technical Briefing
Treatment of biogenic carbon content in EPD
How is waste and recovery modelled in an EPD?
How is waste and recovery reported in an EPD?
Source: CPA
June 2025 Update
SPRA Golf Day 2025 – Carden Park, Cheshire – 4th September 2025
Get ready for another fantastic day of sport and networking as the SPRA Golf Day returns to the stunning Carden Park in Cheshire!
Taking place on 4th September 2025, this popular event offers members and their guests the chance to compete on the renowned Nicklaus championship course, followed by a lively evening of entertainment, a lavish dinner, and the golf awards presentation. New for this year – there will also be activities available for non-golfers to enjoy the incredible facilities at the venue.
Tickets for the SPRA Golf Day are now available – book yours today to secure your spot on the green! Click here to book now
Please note hotel bookings to be made directly with Carden Park using code SPRA030925. These must be made by the 23rd of July to ensure rooms are reserved.
There are still a few opportunities to be a SPRA sponsor at this fabulous SPRA event. Contact enquiries@spra.co.uk for further information.
NexGen Working Group – promote the next generation of roofing professionals in single ply membrane systems
Following an introduction by SPRA Chair, Melanie Marquard, at the recent SPRA Awards, a meeting will take place to bring focus on promoting single ply roofing to school and college students by forming a SPRA Working Group on the subject. This will be an online meeting taking place on 28th July at 11.30am. Please register your interest in attending here.
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
Our popular online WLCP training, based on SPRA’s published guidance, continues to attract both members and non-members. Delivered as three 2-hour sessions, the training is aligned with SPRA’s Wind Loading – Protocol for Calculations (S11b/19), referencing key standards and industry guidance. SPRA members receive discounted rates.
Contact SPRA for further information and to register your employees now, please quote “Wind Load Enquiry’.
New NVQ Level 2 in Single Ply Roofing – Coming to Northern England and Scotland
SPRA is pleased to announce that new NVQ Level 2 programmes in Single Ply Roofing are being planned for Northern England and, separately, for Scotland later this year. Now is the time to register your interest and give your employees the opportunity to gain a skilled worker qualification in single ply roofing.
Alongside this, SPRA continues to offer a range of training and competency development opportunities, including the Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) and the SUP/OSAT routes for installer upskilling and assessment. These high-quality programmes can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates, and CITB-registered companies can access CITB grant funding.
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Find the CCPI Summer Newsletter here.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly
Build UK Update
Building Safety Update
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has launched an inquiry into the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in response to concerns that the delays at Gateway Two have slowed down the delivery of new homes and buildings.
The inquiry will focus on whether the BSR has the skills and resources required to carry out its role.The Committee has released a call for evidence seeking written responses from industry and other relevant stakeholders by 31 August. It is looking for views on a number of questions related to the BSR’s regulatory framework and processes, including the extent to which they are responsible for the delays in approving Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), whether they are clear and understandable to developers, and their impact on the delivery of the Government’s housing targets. The Committee will also be holding public evidence sessions between June and September with the aim of reporting back to the House of Lords in the autumn.
In response to a Freedom of Information request by Build UK member Cast, the BSR has released new data on Gateway Two and Three applications for both existing and new HRBs. Up to 27 May 2025, there were 2,049 applications for existing HRBs and 187 applications for new HRBs submitted at Gateway Two. Of the applications for existing HRBs, 19% have been approved (393), 9% have been rejected (191) and 3.71% have not been validated (76). For the first time, the data also includes the average time taken to review applications.
The BSR has updated its guidance on Registered Building Inspectors (RBIs) which confirms that Class 2 RBIs are now able to carry out permissible work on existing HRBs on behalf of the BSR where it is the Building Control Authority.
Source: Build UK
Preparing for Gateway Three
Build UK continues to work closely with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to help members navigate the building safety regime and recently hosted a meeting for those involved in the development of Higher‐Risk Buildings (HRBs) to understand the information that is required in an application for a completion certificate at Gateway Three.
The BSR confirmed at the meeting that Gateway Three applications should demonstrate how the building was constructed and serve as an update to the information that was submitted at Gateway Two when applying for Building Control Approval. A number of ‘sticky points’ were identified where more clarity and consistency is required, including controlled changes, partial completion strategies, and the relationship between the building safety regime and other contractual obligations. Building on our Gateway Two guidance published earlier this year, Build UK will be producing an overview of Gateway Three and the information that must be included within an application for a completion certificate, as the first step towards helping members navigate the process.
Source: Build UK/BSR
H&S and Environmental Manuals
The Health and Safety (H&S) Manual and the Environmental Manual, published by Construction Industry Publications (CIP) to provide a ‘one‐stop shop’ for managing health and safety and environmental matters during construction, have been updated with input from Build UK and its members to reflect the latest changes in legislation and guidance.
The H&S Manual contains reference to the new BS 5975 standard for temporary works and NASC’s TG30 for system scaffolding as well as updated guidance on the use of plant on site, sanitary provision in toilets, and Respiratory Protective Equipment with support from JSP, whilst the Environmental Manual includes CLOCS Standard Version 5, revised minimum energy efficiency standards, and the separation and storage of waste on-site.
Each manual is written by industry for industry to provide a concise summary of relevant legislation, along with practical guidance on how to comply with it. Build UK members will receive a 30% discount when purchasing hard copies of either manual, or subscribing to CIP Knowledge which includes access to both manuals, by using the promotional code ‘BUILDUK’.
Source: Build Uk / CIP
Digital Skills Passport Launched
CSCS has launched an updated version of its My CSCS App to provide the basis of a ‘digital skills passport’, as recommended by Mark Farmer in his Industry Training Board (ITB) Review to enable Clients and other dutyholders under the Building Safety Act to demonstrate and enforce the competence of individuals working on their projects.
The new My Skills section within the app allows an individual to store in one place their qualifications; successful completion of the Health, Safety and Environment Test; and any additional training and CPD undertaken. Users can generate a CV-style summary of the information within the app, which can be shared with employers and others as part of demonstrating the skills and knowledge elements of competence.
The My CSCS App also holds an individual’s digital CSCS card, which is identical to the traditional plastic version and shows their photo, qualifications, training, occupation and the expiry date of the card. Build UK members should now be using CSCS Smart Check to check all 2.3 million cards carrying the CSCS logo, issued by the CSCS Alliance schemes.
Major Changes at Building Safety Regulator
The Government has announced a series of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) designed to “enhance operations, reduce delays, and unlock the homes this country desperately needs”. The BSR will introduce a new ‘Fast Track Process’ for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), which will bring building inspector and engineer capacity directly into the BSR, and recruit an additional 100 members of staff with increased investment from Government.
A new arm’s length body to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is also being established, which will take on the functions of the BSR from the HSE in due course, paving the way for a single construction regulator, as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Andy Roe, former Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), has been appointed as chair, with Charlie Pugsley, also from the LFB, taking on the new role of Chief Executive Officer for the BSR from October. Earlier this week, Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol met with Andy and John Palmer, Deputy Director – New BuildStandards and Performance at MCHLG, to discuss how the BSR and industry could work together, using the knowledge and experience gained over the last two years, to review the current system and move forward.
Build UK has updated its guide to the building safety regime, which includes links to the updated Approved Document B (Fire Safety) Volume 1: Dwellings and Volume 2: Buildings other than Dwellings , as well as its guide to the validation stage at Gateway Two with additional information on preparing and submitting an application and the next steps once an application has been approved or rejected.
More building safety news can be found in our latest Building Safety update, and the next Building Safety call will take place on Tuesday 16 September at 8:30am.
Source: Build Uk / BSR
Common Assessment Standard V5
Build UK has published an updated version of the Common Assessment Standard, and the Building Safety section is now mandatory for completion by all companies that carry out work under the Building Safety Act. Version 5 also contains updates to the Corporate & Professional Standing; Environmental; and Fairness, Inclusion & Respect sections.
Companies will be required to complete the updated question set when they next go through the certification process for the Common Assessment Standard with a Recognised Assessment Body, and a number of Build UK Contractor members will be specifying that their supply chains must have successfully completed the Building Safety section by 1 October 2025.
There is a growing list of organisations across both the public and private sectors using the Common Assessment Standard to demonstrate that members of their supply chains have the organisational capability to fulfil their duties under the Building Safety Act. Companies need to obtain certification only once from any of the Recognised Assessment Bodies, and those wishing to see a reduction in the bureaucracy of pre-qualification should review the different certifications they hold to see if they have the Common Assessment Standard more than once and whether that is required for any reason.
Source: Build Uk / CAS
Construction Skills Mission Board
The Construction Skills Mission Board met for the first time last week to set out a strategy to recruit an additional 100,000 workers a year into the construction sector by 2029, following the Government’s commitment to invest £625 million of funding to tackle the industry’s skills shortages and support the delivery of homes and infrastructure.
The Mission Board, which is chaired by Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the CLC and Executive Chairman of Build UK member Mace, will develop initiatives focused on five key areas: confidence to employ and invest, clear new entrant pathways, access to provision and support to train, funding that works, and reliable and rewarding careers. Four Build UKmembers have been appointed to the Mission Board – Julie White (Build UK Chair), Katy Dowding (Skanska), Mark Lawrence (TClarke) and Jerome Frost (Arup) – and we will be supporting its work, including addressing long-standing issues with recruiting and retaining apprentices and rolling out a digital skills passport.
The Department for Work and Pensions has also signed an agreement with CITB to jointly fund 40,000 industry placements in construction. Jobcentres will work more closely with industry to offer work experience and tailored placements for those looking to start a career in the sector.
Source: Build Uk / Construction Skills Mission Board
Diversity Webinar
Build UK member the Supply Chain Sustainability School is hosting a webinar on Thursday 17 July from 11:00am – 12:00pm to outline how companies can gather data for its Diversity Survey 2025, undertaken in partnership with the Sustainability Tool. Members can use their response to the survey to create a record of the diversity of their workforce for use with clients.
Source: Build Uk / Supply Chain Sustainability School
Conflict Avoidance Pledge
The Conflict Avoidance Coalition has launched a new website which will include an up to date directory of all the organisations that have signed the Conflict Avoidance Pledge. The pledge, which is supported by the CLC, commits businesses to implementing conflict avoidance measures in contracts and on site to reduce the significant time and cost associated with disputes.
Source: Build Uk / Conflict Avoidance Pledge
Social Housing Plan
The Government has set out its plan to build 300,000 new social and affordable homes through the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The plan confirms that the Decent Homes Standard will be extended to privately rented homes and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will be implemented in the social housing sector.
Source: Build Uk / UK Government
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here, including:
- S&P Global UK Construction PMI (June 2025)
- DBT UK Brick Deliveries (May 2025)
The CPA’s Spring forecasts were published on Monday, 28 April, and are available for members to download from the CPA Website. The CPA’s Summer forecasts will be published on Monday, 28 July.
Also note that the ONS has suspended its monthly UK building materials price data (and other producer price data) due to concerns about its reliability, which the CPA has been highlighting since the impacts of the energy and price spikes in Spring 2022.
Source: CPA
CPA Briefing Paper: The Impacts of U.S. Tariffs
Following strong demand from members and government alike, the CPA’s economics team has published a briefing paper on the ‘Impacts of U.S. Tariffs’. This document will be revised as the situation develops, and made available to CPA members every Friday with our Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update (see above). To receive this document via email every Friday please contact noble.francis@constructionproducts.org.uk; alternatively, you can click here to read it now.
Source: CPA
BSI Invitation to Join CB/3 Committee
The British Standards Institution is an Associate of the CPA and would like to extend an invitation across our membership for any persons interested in joining its BSI CB/3 committee. CB/3 is responsible for reviewing market demands and regulatory drivers for the safe, compliant, and efficient use of construction products. The committee examines the interaction between the Building Safety Act, UK Construction Products Regulations, and EU Construction Products Regulation, seeking alignment with safety standards to enable the free movement of construction products within the EU single market. Horizontal functions include:
- CB/3 facilitates the timely exchange of information on regulatory matters related to construction products between UK Technical Committees, stakeholders, industry, government, and regulators. This allows updates on the UK and EU regulatory landscape to be communicated clearly, accurately, and efficiently to all relevant parties.
- CB/3 provides guidance on the UK Construction Products Regulations and EU Construction Products Regulation, advising where needed to help UK Technical Committees align their work with the latest regulatory requirements, assisting committees in navigating regulatory changes and maintaining compliance with both UK and EU standards.
Excluded is the responsibility for fire resistance and reaction to fire tests for building products, including test methods for external fire exposure of roofs and facades, is outside the scope of CB/3 and falls under the remit of FSH/0 and its associated committees. However, information exchange between CB/3 and FSH/0 is necessary. Any interested parties should contact Tom Stack, BSI Standards Development Manager directly on Tom.Stack@bsigroup.com.
Source: CPA/BSI
HSE Newsletter
The latest Building Safety Regulator Bulletin has been published and can accessed here. It includes articles on Building Assessment Certificates, The Government’s position on roof top gardens and local authority guidance on Multi Disciplinary Teams (MDT).
House of Lords call for Evidence on the Building Safety Regulator
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, has launched an inquiry into building safety regulation, with a particular focus on the work of the Building Safety Regulator, which was established following the Building Safety Act 2022. Concerns have been raised by Industry that delays in approvals by the BSR have slowed down the delivery of new buildings and homes. The Committee invites interested individuals and organisations to submit evidence here by 31 August 2025.
Health, Safety and Well-Being Summit – 01 July (London)
The CLC’s inaugural Health, Safety and Well-Being (HS&WB) Summit is taking place on 1st July at the Institute of Directors in London. Around 150 attendees at CEO level are expected to attend. The aims and objectives (together with intended outputs) of the day are:
- To launch the CLC’s vision for HS&WB
- To hear from the Construction Minister on the importance government attaches to this
- To showcase and demonstrate how the CLC is leading and bringing together the industry in this space
- To discuss this with industry and secure their commitment to taking forward a set of actions
If you have an interest in attending, please click here or all other enquiries, please contact Henrietta Frater, The Crown Estate Head of HSE & Wellbeing at henrietta.frater@thecrownestate.co.uk.
Source: HSE