Rising costs mean tradespeople delay investments in tools and training, London has the lowest number of apprenticeship starts, and a roofer leads a community initiative to repair fire-damaged home
Rising costs are forcing nearly 80% of tradespeople to compromise on investments in tools, training and marketing, claims new research.
In the poll from Tradesman Saver, 37% also blamed high costs for making certain jobs less viable.
Nearly a fifth of respondents said the current market conditions were affecting decisions about hiring staff.
A similar number of tradespeople claimed they were struggling with late or missed customer payments.
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London has one of the lowest numbers of apprenticeship starts relative to the size of its construction workforce.
A CITB report found just 8.9 apprenticeship starts per 1,000 employees in the capital, compared with 42 starts per 1,000 in Scotland.
According to the training body, the report highlights the need for “devolved” skills strategies that respond to local labour conditions.
In 2024-25, only 17% of construction businesses employed apprentices.
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A roofer is leading a community initiative to help rebuild a family home that was gutted by fire.
Jack Crossley offered to put the roof back on free of charge, then took to social media to drum up support for the other repairs.
The 31-year-old tradesman has since been overwhelmed with messages of support.
He told the local newspaper, “it shows the power of Facebook can work wonders”.
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