Tories promise to cut the cost of new build homes by £50,000, Band of Builders launches bursary scheme for apprentices, and electrical apprenticeships are the most sought after
The Conservative Party plans to slash the price of new build homes by £50,000 if it wins the next election.
As part of the “biggest deregulation project in a generation”, it intends to jettison rules that require developers to fit energy-efficient heating systems, solar panels and EV chargers.
It also intends to scrap rules on water efficiency and close the Environment Agency.
The FMB said the proposals could help small builders deliver more homes, but cautioned that deregulation needed to be proportionate to ensure new homes are fit for the future.
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Band of Builders has rolled out a bursary scheme to help apprentices cover the costs of tools, PPE and workwear.
The charity said it had been compelled to act after witnessing the hurdles young people face when considering a career in construction.
The scheme was initially launched at just three colleges but could eventually benefit apprentices at 250 educational institutions.
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Careers in the electrical trade appear to be the most popular, claims an analysis of web traffic by Protectivity.
The study found twice as many searches for electricians as for the next most popular trade — plumbing.
Searches for roofing apprentices were the least popular, with just 28,000 between September 2025 and August 2026.
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