COVID‐19 Latest

With face coverings no longer mandatory in any setting in England, Build UK has updated the CLC Use of Face Coverings in Construction to reflect the latest Government position. Where workers on site are not required to wear RPE and their workplace is crowded and enclosed and they come into contact with others they do not normally meet, their employer should make face coverings available and they should be worn. Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed they remain a condition of travel on its services.

As part of the Government’s booster campaign, construction workers are being urged to get their third COVID‐19 vaccination. The Government has published a free employer toolkit to help raise awareness amongst workers, and employers are being asked to be as flexible as possible when it comes to workers getting their jabs. Build UK partner Citation has also produced guidance for employers who may be considering implementing a vaccination policy.

Members Continue to Improve Payment Terms

More than half of Build UK Contractor members now pay in an average of 30 days or less, according to the latest results published under the Duty to Report Regulations. Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID‐19 pandemic, payment performance has improved again over the last six months, underlining how the increased transparency provided by the Build UK table is transforming the industry culture around payment. Contractor members are now reporting an average of 32 days to pay invoices, down from 34 days last July and 45 days when Build UK first published the information in July 2018. On average, they now pay 95% of invoices within 60 days, up from 82% three years ago, and 82% of their invoices are paid within terms, compared to just 61% in 2018.

Build UK has responded to a call for evidence looking at the extent to which the objectives of the Duty to Report Regulations have been achieved. The Build UK response highlights how the data provided by the Regulations has provided a consistent means of comparing payment performance which has helped to drive culture change across the sector.

All the latest business news can be found in the Build UK Improving Business Performance update.