On 26 June 2023, HBF issued an updated workforce census
Post Brexit access to skilled labour essential if industry is to hit Government housing targets
Housebuilders in England are heavily reliant on foreign labour and will need continued access to skilled EU workers post Brexit to deliver the Government’s housing targets an extensive new census of the workforce shows.
The Home Builders Federation has carried out the survey of 37,167 workers on over a thousand (1090) of its members’ sites. It reveals:
- 19.7% of workers on house building sites across the country are ‘non UK’
- 56.3% of workers on London sites are from overseas
- Over 1 in 5 of workers in the SE are from overseas
- 17.9% of workers in the East of England and 10.5% in the SW are from overseas
- In Yorkshire/Humber just 1.8% are non UK; 5.9% in the NW
- 15% of bricklayers are non-UK workers (48.5% in London)
- Non UK workers tend to be younger with less as a % over 50
