The British government announced on Saturday a £600 million investment aimed at addressing severe construction skills shortages that threaten its ambitious plan to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029 and drive economic growth.
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves emphasized that housebuilding and the enhancement of critical infrastructure form key components of the Labour government's growth strategy. "We are determined to get Britain building again," Reeves said in an emailed statement from the Treasury, highlighting that the initiative will address long-standing issues, including an outdated planning system and the dearth of skilled construction workers.
The push for more robust training comes as the industry grapples with a growing vacancy crisis. Official figures revealed that there were 38,000 unfilled construction roles in the three months leading up to February—a situation exacerbated by the fallout from the 2016 Brexit vote and the subsequent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the Construction Products Association has warned that the sector is set to lose around 500,000 employees, or 25% of its workforce, to retirement over the next 10 to 15 years.
To tackle these challenges, the government plans to allocate £165 million to expand construction courses at colleges and £100 million to upskill new, existing, and returning workers. Additionally, the Construction Industry Training Board will contribute £32 million to fund over 40,000 industry placements annually over the next four years. Collectively, these measures are expected to train up to 60,000 bricklayers, electricians, engineers, and carpenters by 2029.
Reeves also hinted at forthcoming fiscal measures to align with the government's fiscal rules, with a spring statement expected next Wednesday that will include new economic and public finance forecasts from Britain's fiscal watchdog.
As the UK endeavors to overcome its construction skills crunch, the government’s targeted investment reflects a broader strategy to stimulate growth and ensure the country meets its critical infrastructure and housing targets.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump held a brief call on Sunday to discuss progress on a new economic deal between the two countries, the prime minister's spokesperson said.
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has disclosed the full impact of UK sanctions on Russia, reporting that more than £25 billion in Russian assets have been frozen.
A new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips is set to be created, the UK government has announced. 20 million trees set to be planted across the West of England in the coming decades, creating at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland.
A massive fire at a west London substation has led to Heathrow Airport's closure for the day, with 70 firefighters tackling the blaze and evacuating 150 people. The fire, following a large explosion Thursday night, caused widespread power outages, including in nearby hotels.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed the importance of proactive peacekeeping plans for Ukraine, emphasizing the need for readiness ahead of any potential deal between Russia and Ukraine during a visit to a nuclear submarine facility in Barrow, England, on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The European Union's antitrust regulators are poised to close their year-long investigation into Apple's browser options on iPhones, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Norway’s Defence Minister, Tore O. Sandvik, affirmed that the United States remains committed to European defence, but emphasized that Europe must contribute more financially to ensure the U.S. can uphold its security commitments.
Indonesia will officially become a member of the New Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral financial institution established by BRICS nations, President Prabowo Subianto announced on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia hosted the presentation of the Armenian translation of the book by Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, titled "The Power of Negotiations: Principles and Rules of Political and Diplomatic Negotiations."
Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan stated on Tuesday that there are no expected changes in Armenia’s relations with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), despite ongoing discussions regarding the country’s stance on the military alliance.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that purchasing U.S. weapons does not pose a security risk for his country, but emphasized the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American defense systems. His comments come amid growing discussions within Europe.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
Serbia’s parliament has officially accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, setting a 30-day deadline for the formation of a new government or the calling of snap elections.
China has strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's recent executive order, which threatens to impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported to the U.S. from any country that imports oil from Venezuela.
Hyundai Steel, in partnership with Hyundai Motor Group, announced a $5.8 billion investment to build a new steel plant in Louisiana, U.S., with an annual capacity of 2.7 million tonnes.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he anticipates a U.S.-Ukraine revenue-sharing agreement on Ukrainian critical minerals will be signed soon.
Australia is set to accelerate A$1 billion in defence expenditure in Tuesday’s federal budget, as part of a broader effort to enhance its military capabilities, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced on Monday.
In a move that could significantly boost India's artificial intelligence landscape, tech leaders OpenAI and Meta Platforms have engaged in separate discussions with Reliance Industries, according to a report by The Information.
The European Union's antitrust regulators are poised to close their year-long investigation into Apple's browser options on iPhones, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Norway’s Defence Minister, Tore O. Sandvik, affirmed that the United States remains committed to European defence, but emphasized that Europe must contribute more financially to ensure the U.S. can uphold its security commitments.
Indonesia will officially become a member of the New Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral financial institution established by BRICS nations, President Prabowo Subianto announced on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia hosted the presentation of the Armenian translation of the book by Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, titled "The Power of Negotiations: Principles and Rules of Political and Diplomatic Negotiations."
Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan stated on Tuesday that there are no expected changes in Armenia’s relations with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), despite ongoing discussions regarding the country’s stance on the military alliance.
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