AUDIO NEWS: Increases in the minimum wage to hit tradespeople and Band of Builders completes major rebuild

Builders face higher wage bills in April, construction workers fall to the lowest proportion of the workforce in 100 years, and BoB completes major rebuild

Construction firms are facing higher wage bills from April because of Wednesday’s budget.

The minimum wage for over 21s will rise by 4.1%, while the hourly rate for those between 18-and-20-years will increase by 8.5%.

The chancellor also outlined plans to freeze national insurance and income tax thresholds for three years.

Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS predicted that the budget might “create more issues” than it solves.

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Construction workers have fallen to the lowest proportion of the UK workforce in 100 years — that’s according to a report from the Centre for Social Justice (CJS)

The think tank said the combined impact of an aging workforce, and the aftereffects of the COVID and Brexit have slashed the number of builders by “thousands”.

The report recommended that the Department of Education and the CITB should look at reforming the training levy, to open-up access to the funds.

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Over 60 tradespeople from Band of Builders completed a house renovation for a retired builder whose wife is suffering from dementia.

Mike Shrimpton began work to create a safe ground-floor space for his wife, Christine, but was then diagnosed with prostate cancer and a heart condition.

Unable to complete the work, the couple were left living in a caravan for two years before Band of Builders completed the extensive project in three weeks.

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