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240,000 new recruits needed to meet housing targets, says HBF
Cristina Lago Deputy Editor
Image: Monkey Business Images | Dreamstime.com
Almost a quarter million new people will need to be recruited to deliver the government’s housing targets, a new report by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) says.
Research undertaken by HBF found that for every 10,000 homes the industry builds, 30,000 new recruits will be needed. To deliver on the government’s housing targets, homebuilding needs to increase by 80,000 units a year based on the most recent net additions figures. That equates to 240,000 extra people needed across a broad range of roles and skills.
The report, titled A Hard Hat to Fill, also said that the Future Homes Standard, scheduled to come into force in England in 2025, will require even more specialised skills.
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To reach the government’s target of 300,000 homes a year, HBF said the following roles will be needed across the housing sector:
20,000 bricklayers
20,000 groundworkers
8,000 carpenters
3,200 plasterers
2,400 plumbers
2,400 electricians
2,400 roofers
1,200 tilers
More apprentices needed
However, HBF said the number of apprenticeships supported by the current system is only a small portion of what is needed, with only plumbers having had enough people undertake an apprenticeship for the trade last year.
Only 10% of bricklayers and 3% of groundworkers, the trades most in demand, of the required additional workforce were being trained last year.
Apprenticeship recruitment for housing targets
Job role
Needed for 30,000 homes
2023/24 apprentices
% in 23/24 of required recuits
Bricklayers
20,000
1,990
10
Groundworkers
20,000
560
3
Carpenters
8,000
4,150
52
Plasterers
3,200
390
12
Plumbers
2,400
2,590
108
Roofers
2,400
450
19
Tilers
1,200
40
3
Source: HBF
HBF said the industry “stands ready” to support the government in its housebuilding targets and is asking that they work together to implement “the sector plan and create a blueprint of how we recruit enough key trades to deliver new homes target”.
For this, HBF is asking the government to consult with the homebuilding industry while it develops the replacement for the Apprenticeship Levy with a new Growth and Skills Levy.
Apprenticeship recruitment over the past five years
Job role
Five year total
% of required recruits
Bricklayers
11,350
57
Groundworkers
2,420
12
Carpenters
22,200
278
Plasterers
1,870
58
Plumbers
12,820
534
Roofers
1,540
64
Tilers
240
20
Source: HBF
HBF wants the new levy to shift responsibility for the administration of hired apprentices to the company that “receives” any future levy transfer rather than leaving it with the “gifting” company.
It also asks that all residual unspent funds be ringfenced by the government and reinvested into skills, training programmes or other initiatives to improve apprenticeship uptake.
Neil Jefferson, HBF's chief executive, said: “The sector is working hard to attract and retain its future workforce. The weekend announcement of further funding for construction skills and the targeted initiatives to support colleges to better train tomorrow’s workforce, and to help SMEs take on more apprentices, are very welcome.
"We stand ready to play a full role in the Governments Construction Skills Mission Board and to engage directly on house building specific skills issues such that we can create a framework that allows us to deliver.
Jefferson added: "Further interventions will be needed if we are to be able to build 300,000 homes a year, but the industry stands ready to work with the government to develop and implement these to ensure we have the capacity we need."
The January/February 2026 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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