Build UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK construction industry. By bringing together Clients, Main Contractors, Trade Associations representing over 11,500 Specialist Contractors and other organisations committed to industry collaboration, Build UK represents in excess of 40% of UK construction.
Their regular updates contain important information for our industry.
Last Updated: 11/09/2025
Build UK Publishes Guidance on Gateway Three
Building on our Gateway Two guidance, Build UK has published an overview of Gateway Three and the information and documents that must be included within an application to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) for a Completion Certificate for a Higher-Risk Building (HRB). Gateway Three is a new application process which requires all the information to be submitted, even where it was previously provided as part of the Gateway Two application.
The Build UK guide is aligned with the BSR application portal and sets out the full list of questions that must be completed, including whether they are multiple choice, free text or a PDF document upload, to make it as easy as possible for members preparing and submitting a Gateway Three application. If a Partial Completion Strategy was agreed at Gateway Two and part of the building is intended to be occupied before work is completed on the rest of the building, then a Partial Completion Certificate must be applied for in relation to the work that has been completed. As is the case at Gateway Two, the BSR will carry out an initial assessment of the Gateway Three application to ensure that all the documents required have been submitted, which is known as the validation stage.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published updated guidance on the Fire Safety (England) Regulations in relation to the fire performance of flat entrance doors in existing blocks of flats. Designed to help Responsible Persons comply with their obligations to check that fire doors are regularly checked and remain suitable in accordance with the fire risk assessment originally undertaken, the update clarifies that the regulations do not require all existing flat entrance doors to be replaced to satisfy current standards for new blocks of flats as required by the Building Regulations.
The BSR and the Leasehold Advisory Service have launched a free online building safety training programme for Resident Management Companies to help them understand the Building Safety Act and their legal obligations for managing safety in High-Rise Residential Buildings.
Join Us at the Build UK AGM
With the continued focus on the delivery of homes and infrastructure across the UK, we are delighted that we will be joined by the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, at the 10th AGM of Build UK on Tuesday 23 September from 8:30am – 9:45am to discuss the Government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy.
Previously Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James will outline the ambition and commitment to deliver and maintain £725 billion of economic and social infrastructure over the next decade as set out in the new Infrastructure Pipeline. In his new role, James has responsibility for public expenditure and driving efficiency and value, and it is a unique opportunity for members to put their questions directly to the Treasury.
The new Build UK Chair and Board for 2025/26 will be appointed at the AGM and Paul Brown, Chief Executive of John Sisk & Son, will succeed Julie White as Chair. Matthew Nesbit, who was nominated for Vice Chair, is leaving William Hare Group and will now step down from the Board at the AGM. The position of Vice Chair will be considered by the new Board at its next meeting in October.
Contract Terms Recommendation
With recent figures revealing that construction activity declined for the eighth month in a row in August, the resilience of the supply chain remains a priority in such challenging market conditions, and Build UK’s contract terms recommendation identifies six contract terms which should be avoided to help ensure a fair allocation of risk:
- Fitness for Purpose – Do not include a ‘fitness for purpose’ standard of care for design (except in the process sector)
- Unquantifiable Risks – Do not include delay/loss and expense risk where not reasonably ascertainable for dealing with asbestos; fossils, antiquities and other objects of interest or value; unexploded ordnance; and the carrying out by statutory bodies of work in pursuance of their statutory obligations
- ‘Specified Perils’ – Do not include that ‘Specified Perils’ (as defined in JCT) will not give rise to extension of time where caused by the (sub-)contractor
- Breach of Contract – Do not include a blanket indemnity for breach of contract
- Uncapped Liabilities – Do not include uncapped (sub-)contractor liability (save for certain aggregate cap carve-outs)
Performance Securities – Do not use a pure on-demand performance bond; a Parent Company Guarantee (PCG) which does not include a ‘no greater liability’ clause and equivalent rights of defence; or a collateral warranty which does not include a ‘no greater liability’ clause.
We have published comprehensive guidance to help implement the recommendation, explaining why each term should not be used and setting out ways to manage the underlying issues more effectively, with specific guidance for JCT and NEC contracts. The recommendation is non‐binding and Build UK members are free to negotiate their own contractual terms with their clients.
Building the Future Conference
There are now only three weeks to go until the Building the Future Conference on Thursday 2 October supported by Build UK. The event hosted by Building Magazine at 155 Bishopsgate in central London will bring together leading industry experts to explore the biggest issues facing construction including building safety, and people and skills.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol OBE will be chairing a Building Safety Panel focussed on competence at 11:30am, with speakers including Andy Roe (BSR) and Build UK members Paul Brown (John Sisk & Son), Rachel Davidson (BESA) and Brett King (Procore). All the panel sessions will be fully interactive giving you the chance to have your say and put questions to the speakers. Build UK members will receive a 20% discount when booking places using the code ‘BUILDUK20’, meaning tickets are available for just £168 + VAT per person
Cabinet Reshuffle
The Prime Minister has reshuffled his cabinet following the resignation of Angela Rayner. Steve Reed has been appointed Housing Secretary with responsibility for the Government’s target of building 1.5 million new homes, whilst Peter Kyle is the new Business Secretary taking over from Jonathan Reynolds. Ministerial responsibility for both construction and building safety is yet to be confirmed.
Late Payments Meeting
Thanks to all those members who have confirmed their attendance at the Build UK meeting to discuss the Government consultation on late payments on Tuesday 30 September from 9:00am to 10:30am. The proposed package of legislative measures will impact members across the whole supply chain, and please email us to confirm your attendance and contribute to the Build UK response.
BuildUK10 Quote of the Week
“Miller is passionate about raising awareness of the continually evolving risks facing the construction sector, and through our partnership with Build UK we are helping more businesses across the supply chain to navigate and solve those risks effectively.”
Jason Baston, Head of Construction at Miller
Build UK works with Miller to publish a comprehensive guide to PI Insurance in Construction to support members to obtain the best available terms when renewing a policy or taking out a new one.
Last Updated: 03/09/2025
To: Build UK Members
The Government has launched a consultation on strengthening late payment legislation as part of its Small Business Plan.
The consultation proposes a broad package of measures as set out below, which will impact the whole construction supply chain.
To inform the Build UK response, we would like to invite you, or an appropriate representative from your organisation, to join an online meeting on Tuesday 30 September from 9:00am – 10:30am to share your views on the proposed measures.
I would be grateful if you could please confirm your attendance as soon as possible and a calendar invite with the details for the meeting will follow.
Last Updated: 21/08/2025
Increased Transparency on Payment Performance
Build UK has updated its payment performance table to include data on the value of invoices paid within 60 days for the first time. Following the introduction of new reporting requirements from 1 January 2025, large companies are now required to report on both the value and number of invoices paid within 0 – 30, 31 – 60 and over 60 days to provide even greater transparency for the supply chain around payment performance.
Information on the value of invoices paid within 60 days is currently available in the Build UK table for 16 out of our 21 tier one Contractor members that are required to report, and the full set of results will be available in May 2026 when the remainder have submitted their first reports. On average, Build UK tier one Contractor members paid 97% of invoices within 60 days by value compared to 96% by number, highlighting consistency of payment performance within 60 days whether measured by value or number of invoices.
Due to the way that companies are required to report on the value of invoices not paid within the agreed terms, Build UK is not able to include this data in its table at this stage, and we are in discussions with the Department for Business and Trade about what can be done to collect and present this data in a meaningful way.
The Government has also laid draft legislation to require companies to include their payment results in their Directors’ reports from 1 January 2026 and is consulting on further measures to improve payment practices as part of its Small Business Plan.
Don’t Duplicate, Data Share!
The Common Assessment Standard is being used by a growing number of organisations across the industry to demonstrate that members of their supply chains have the organisational capability to fulfil their duties under the Building Safety Act. Pagabo and Structure Tone are the latest to specify it, and a full list is on the Build UK website.
Companies that have the Common Assessment Standard from any one of the Recognised Assessment Bodies do not need to obtain certification from any others. Instead, they can agree to share their data at no cost with the other Recognised Assessment Bodies so it is visible to more Contractors and Clients. Don’t duplicate: anyone wishing to see a reduction in the bureaucracy of pre-qualification should be sharing their data rather than getting the Common Assessment Standard from multiple Recognised Assessment Bodies. Giving permission to share your data is quick and simple and will help businesses across the supply chain to save time and money and win work.
Get Set for Open Doors 2026
Recruiting the next generation is vital if we are to maintain the pipeline of talent coming into the industry, and one of the most effective ways to showcase what we have to offer is by getting involved in Open Doors. The Countdown to Open Doors 2026 is already underway, and we will be hosting events across the UK from Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March!
To help members prepare, we will be holding a meeting for Open Doors Coordinators on Thursday 11 September from 2:00pm – 3:00pm where we will be sharing our plans for #OpenDoors26 and answering your questions. With the support of our network of Open Doors Partners, we will cover the benefits of getting involved following a record Open Doors 2025 and what you can do now to make sure you are ready to register events on the Open Doors website from Monday 6 October. Your nominated Open Doors Coordinators should have received an invitation to the meeting, and please email us to confirm your attendance and make sure your organisation is represented.
Stay on Right Side of Competition Law
Following the introduction of the Procurement Act earlier this year, which has strengthened rules to prevent suppliers who pose particular risks from taking part in public procurement, companies caught breaking competition law now face being excluded from public sector contracts under a new exclusion and debarment regime.
Companies that participate in anti-competitive behaviour, such as bid rigging and cover pricing, risk mandatory exclusion from individual public procurements, as well as being added to the new central debarment list, which would result in automatic exclusion from all public procurements for up to five years. Companies may avoid exclusion if they can demonstrate that they have ‘self-cleaned’ and the circumstances that led to the exclusion are not continuing or are unlikely to occur again. Any company that has acted illegally, or witnesses or suspects another company of doing so, is advised to contact the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Build UK has published guidance on preventing anti‐competitive behaviour in construction with the support of Wedlake Bell LLP, and the CMA is hosting a free webinar specifically for construction firms on competition law on Wednesday 24 September from 3:00pm to 3:45pm.
Working Rule Agreement
The CIJC Working Rule Agreement (WRA) has been updated to include the latest Promulgation Notice, which sets out the minimum pay rates that took effect from 30 June 2025. Members can download a free PDF version of the WRA and purchase hard copies from the CIP website.
Employment Rights Bill
Build UK members are invited to a free webinar on the Employment Rights Bill hosted by the CBI on Thursday 4 September from 10:00am – 11:00am. It will outline the key changes set out within the Bill and what employers need to do to prepare, and members should register to confirm their place.
Priority Skills
Skills England has published an assessment of priority skills to understand future employment and training needs across ten critical sectors. It reveals that housebuilding has the third greatest additional employment demand until 2030, with the majority of workers in the sector requiring either Level 2 or Level 3 qualifications.
Failure to Prevent Fraud
The new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence will come into force on 1 September 2025, and Pinsent Masons has published a useful article for large companies operating in construction, which are perceived as facing a higher risk in relation to fraud. It aims to help companies prepare by ensuring they have robust compliance procedures in place.
#BuildUK10 Quote of the Week
“Congratulations on a decade of excellence in shaping the future of construction. Build UK’s commitment to collaboration and efficiency has set a benchmark for the industry, and NASC and its recognised training scheme, CISRS, are proud to work in partnership with Build UK to advance safety, standards, and innovation in construction.”
Clive Dickin, Chief Executive of NASC
CISRS is a member of the CSCS Alliance, and Build UK’s How to be a Smart Site guide sets out how to check the 2.3 million cards carrying the CSCS logo as part of ensuring everyone on site has the right qualifications and training for the job they do.
Last Updated: 14/08/2025
New Measures to Tackle Late Payment
As part of its Small Business Plan, the Government has launched a consultation on strengthening late payment legislation, which it says will make it the toughest amongst the G7 nations. With 1.5 million businesses affected by late payments at a cost of almost £11 billion per year to the UK economy, the consultation sets out the following proposed package of legislative measures, which will impact the whole construction supply chain:
- Requiring audit committees to make recommendations on payment performance to company directors before results are published
- Introducing maximum payment terms of 60 days, which may be reduced to 45 days after five years
- Introducing a deadline of 30 days for disputing an invoice after receipt
- Making it mandatory to pay interest of 8% above the Bank of England base rate on late invoices
- Requiring large businesses to report on the payment of statutory interest
- Giving the Small Business Commissioner (SBC) powers to impose financial penalties on large businesses that consistently pay late
- Introducing additional powers for the SBC, including verifying the data submitted under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations
- Specific to construction, either prohibiting the use of retentions or introducing requirements for retentions to be protected in a separate bank account or through a guarantee.
The consultation is an opportunity to build on the work that has been undertaken to improve payment performance within construction to date, and Build UK is looking at how the proposals will work within the current regulatory framework, including the Construction Act. The Department for Business and Trade has confirmed that construction disputes will remain outside the remit of the SBC, and any new powers given to the SBC to provide legally binding arbitration decisions would not apply to construction disputes. Build UK will be working with members across the supply chain to submit a comprehensive response to the consultation by the deadline of Thursday 23 October.
Building Safety Guidance Updated
With data from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) showing that only a third of applications for Building Control Approval for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) have been approved to date, Build UK has updated its overview of Gateway Two to provide further details on the information that must be included within applications for new and existing HRBs.
The Build UK guide has been aligned with the BSR application portal and now sets out the full list of questions that must be completed, including whether they are multiple choice, free text or a pdf document upload, to make it as easy as possible for members preparing and submitting an application. We have also republished our guides on the Golden Thread and Mandatory Occurrence Reporting to support members in meeting the requirements of the building safety regime.
The BSR is hosting regular webinars to provide practical support on the process of applying for Building Control Approval, and recent ones aimed at developers of new build HRBs and Principal Accountable Persons (PAPs) are now available to watch free on demand.
Upcoming Build UK Meetings & Events
Build UK will be resuming its wide-ranging programme of meetings and events after the summer break, which enable us to respond quickly and effectively to issues whilst giving members the opportunity to hear from each other and share ideas. Our key meetings and events for the remainder of this year which are open to all members include:
- Building Safety Call – Wednesday 17 September – 8:30am We will be joined by Andy Roe, the recently appointed chair of the new shadow board of MHCLG that will take over the functions of the BSR, giving members the opportunity to hear directly from the new leadership team at the BSR.
- AGM & All Member Forum – Tuesday 23 September – 8:30amChief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones will be our guest speaker offering a unique insight into the delivery of the Government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy.
- Celebrating 10 Years of Build UK – Wednesday 19 November – 6:30pm Build UK will be celebrating its 10th anniversary at The Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate in London with the generous support of our sponsors: Citation, CONSTRUCT, John Sisk & Son, Keltbray, Multiplex, People’s Partnership, Quintain and Willmott Dixon
Details of all upcoming Build UK meetings and events can be found in our schedule of meetings and events.
Using Go Construct Careers
With CITB reporting that the industry needs to recruit almost 50,000 extra workers each year until 2029, Go Construct Careers is a new platform providing a one-stop shop for new entrant opportunities in construction, including apprenticeships, T Level placements and work experience opportunities, across England, Scotland and Wales.
Go Construct Careers enables construction employers, including those out-of-scope to CITB, to advertise their new entrant opportunities free of charge. For those in-scope to CITB, the New Entrant Support Team (NEST) can offer a matching service to connect them with potential candidates for their roles. This new service is ideally located alongside all the new entrant resources on the Go Construct website, and anyone interested in joining the industry can create a profile, upload their CV, and start applying for jobs. Members can sign up now to create a company profile and list their new entrant opportunities.
RPE in Hot Weather
Build UK member JSP has published guidance on selecting suitable Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) for working in hot weather. It outlines the factors that should be considered to enable staff to work safely and comfortably whilst providing protection against UV, sun and heat exposure.
NISTA Annual Report
NISTA has published its annual report 2024/25 showing the progress made on 213 major projects worth £996 billion within the Government Major Project Portfolio. It uses a Delivery Confidence Assessment, which shows the likelihood of each project delivering its objectives to time and cost.
Construction Colleges
The Government has confirmed the 10 Construction Technical Excellence Colleges across England that will train 40,000 construction learners by 2029. This is one of the measures included within the £625 million of funding announced by Government in March to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers by the end of this Parliament.
Cladding Training
Build UK member 3B Training has been awarded a contract by CITB to upskill 100 rainscreen cladding system installers and 24 supervisors over the next two years to support the delivery of the Government’s Remediation Acceleration Plan. Members can register their interest now for both the installer and supervisor courses, which will be delivered from January 2026.
#BuildUK10 Quote of the Week
“Managing the expectations of members across the construction supply chain demands strong leadership, a clear strategy, and effective communication. This is clearly evident in Build UK’s progress and growing influence as a key representative body that champions the importance and opportunities of UK construction plc.”
James Talman, Chief Executive of NFRC
By having businesses across the whole supply chain in membership of Build UK, we can influence the behaviour of clients and key stakeholders, including Government, BSR, CLC, CITB and CSCS, driving change that strengthens the sector.
Last Updated: 07/08/2025
Latest Payment Results Published
Build UK has updated its payment performance table with the latest results published under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations. With the Government launching a consultation to tackle late payment last week, Build UK tier one Contractor members have improved their payment performance again over the last six months, now taking on average 29 days to pay invoices. All of them average 45 days or less, which will be the requirement for central Government contracts over £5 million from 1 October 2025.
For the first time, a number of members have reported data on value of invoices paid, alongside number of invoices paid, in line with new reporting requirements from 1 January 2025. This information will be included in the Build UK table in due course, and the full set of results for our tier one Contractor members will be available in May 2026 when they have all submitted their first reports with this data. New reporting requirements on retentions also came into force on 1 April 2025, and companies will be required to report information on their policy and the value of retention withheld from their supply chain. The financial year for the majority of members starts on 1 January which means their first reports containing this data will be published in July 2026.
Build UK is still the only trade organisation benchmarking payment performance, with our table showing the results for more than 130 of the industry’s largest companies to provide a consistent picture of payment practices across the sector.
Navigating the Building Safety Regime
Build UK is delighted to be supporting the Building the Future Conference again this year, hosted by Building magazine. The one‐day event is taking place on Thursday 2 October at 155 Bishopsgate in central London and will bring together leading industry experts to explore the biggest issues facing construction including building safety.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol OBE will be chairing a Building Safety Panel focussed on competence at 11:30am, with speakers including Andy Roe (Building Safety Regulator) and Build UK members Paul Brown (John Sisk & Son), Rachel Davidson (BESA) and Brett King (Procore). All the panel sessions will be fully interactive giving you the chance to have your say and put questions to the speakers. Build UK members will receive a 20% discount when booking places using the code ‘BUILDUK20’, meaning tickets are available for just £168 + VAT per person.
Build UK’s next Building Safety call is now taking place on Wednesday 17 September at 8:30am where we will be joined by Andy Roe, the recently appointed chair of the new shadow board of MHCLG that will take over the functions of the BSR. With the opportunity to hear directly from the new leadership team at the BSR, it is a must attend call and your nominated Building Safety representative should have received the updated calendar invitation.
Changes to Immigration System
Build UK has updated its guidance on the Points‐Based Immigration System now that the first changes set out in the Immigration White Paper have come into effect. Described by the Government as a ‘complete reset’ of the system, the changes include raising both the skills and salary thresholds for a Skilled Worker visa as of 22 July 2025.
The skills threshold to apply for a Skilled Worker visa has been increased from RQF Level 3 (A level equivalent) to RQF Level 6 (degree level equivalent), unless the occupation is classified as ‘Medium Skilled’ (RQF Levels 3 ‐ 5) and on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. The standard salary threshold for new skilled workers has increased from £38,700 to £41,700, with the discounted rate for occupations on the Immigration Salary List increasing from £30,960 to £33,400. Further changes to the system are due to come into effect later this year, including increasing the immigration skills charge and raising the English language requirement.
Build UK’s flowchart provides an overview of the process of employing a worker from outside the UK, and we have published detailed guidance on How to Get a Sponsor Licence and How to Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa.
Employment Rights Bill Latest
The Employment Rights Bill continues to make its way through Parliament, with a final reading in the House of Lords expected to take place on 3 September before it returns to the House of Commons for a final vote, and Build UK Partner Citation has updated its overview of the reforms set out in the Bill to reflect the recent changes.
Designed to help construction employers understand the impact on their businesses, the guide outlines each of the reforms which fall into three categories ‐ new rights and protections for workers; fair pay, terms and working conditions; and enforcement and trade unions ‐ and there is now a timeline showing the phased approach that will be taken to implementation.
Members are encouraged to prepare for the changes by reviewing their current processes, with a focus on more effective recruitment and induction of employees, and Citation is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday 19 August from 10:00am ‐ 11:00am to run through what employers need to know. Details of all the webinars offered by Citation can be found on the Citation website.
New Website
The Build UK website has been revamped to make it easier for members and the wider industry to find information. Some of the links to our guidance may have changed, and you can use the new Search function to find any of the information that we have published across our priority areas.
Net Zero Champions
Applications for the next round of CO2nstruct Zero Business Champions are open until Monday 8 September, and Build UK is encouraging all members to sign up and support the CLC to collate and report on the significant work that is being undertaken across the industry to reduce carbon emissions.
BS 99001 Review
The BSI is currently reviewing BS 99001, the quality management standard for construction which builds on ISO 9001 with sector‐specific requirements for areas such as design quality and inspection and test plans. Members can share feedback via an online survey until Thursday 9 October.
Royal Mail Changes
Royal Mail has confirmed that 2nd Class letters will now be delivered every other weekday, reflecting the fact that fewer letters are being sent. It will aim to deliver all 2nd Class mail, as well as standard bulk business letters, within three weekdays, compared to the previous target of two days.
#BuildUK10 Quote of the Week
“Build UK has provided invaluable industry advice over the last 10 years, particularly during the pandemic and following the rapid developments emanating from the Building Safety Act. Seddon has always put people first and through our membership of Build UK we are supporting initiatives that foster inclusivity, innovation and resilience.”
Jonathan Seddon, Chief Executive of Seddon Group
As part of our work on Recruiting, Training and Retaining Talent, Build UK collates information each year on the gender pay gap of its Contractor members to provide an overview of performance and drive progress.
Mark Spence, Chief Executive of the CEF
Open Doors 2025 took place across the whole of the UK with events in Northern Ireland for the first time, and our review shows how it inspired a record 7,000 visitors to consider a career in construction.
Click here to view the PDA’s archive of Build UK information.