Not enough Tradespersons for growth23 Feb 2026 09:49
The UK is facing a shortage of scaffolders, dealing a fresh setback to Labour’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes before the next election.The construction sector will have to boost housebuilding to levels not seen in more than 50 years in order to meet the Government’s ambitious new homes pledge, requiring a wave of additional workers.
There are already shortages of skilled scaffolders, the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation warned.
Clive Dickin, the association’s chief executive, said “talent is a real problem”, and warned the UK faces a cliff edge, with 7pc of the workforce expected to retire by 2029.