Britain faces builder shortage crisis

Britain faces a shortfall of 1m builders to meet the government's housing and infrastructure ambitions, according to the Chartered Institute of Building. Delivering 1.5m homes by 2029, decarbonising properties, and expanding infrastructure could require a 40% increase in construction output. The sector currently employs 2.1m workers but has lost 150,000 to retirement over five years. Reliance on overseas labour has grown, with the number of foreign-born builders increasing from 10.6% to 16.7% in a decade, but tighter immigration rules may limit this. 

The Daily Telegraph (07/10/2025)