Construction sites will be allowed to continue to operate up until 9pm following an announcement from housing secretary Robert Jenrick.
This means temporary extensions to working hours introduced in response to coronavirus will remain in place for six more months.
Working hours were originally extended in May 2020 and the extension will now continue until 30 September, which the government said was necessary “due to the continued impact of covid-19 and to support the construction industry to recover and operate safely”.
The date at which sites will revert to normal hours is being kept under review.
In a written ministerial statement, Jenrick said: “The government recognises that the construction industry will need to continue to operate in a safe and productive way. Temporary extensions to working hours were introduced over the last year on some sites to facilitate safer working and allow tasks to be completed where social distancing can be challenging. These changes have also helped to protect and support jobs in the construction industry and reduced pressures on public transport at peak hours throughout the pandemic.”
