NFRC has published a ‘Six Point Plan’ for the Chancellor to help support the roofing and cladding industry build back better, greener and safer from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, will be presenting his Spring Budget next Wednesday, 3^rd March, and is expected to set out the next phase of the government plan to tackle the virus and protect jobs.

NFRC is calling on the Chancellor to stimulate investment in policies that boost the construction industry while at the same time supporting the UK in its goals to reach net-zero by 2050 and improve building safety.

NFRC is asking the Chancellor to:

1. Introduce a Green Annual Investment Allowance (GAIA) to raise the energy efficiency of commercial buildings.
2. Implement the Construction Leadership Council (CLC)’s National Retrofit Strategy to help retrofit the UK’s 28 million homes.
3. Reform business rates to encourage the take-up of roof-top solar.
4. Stop the introduction of Reverse Charge VAT.
5. Work with industry to find a resolution to soaring PI insurance premiums.
6. Introduce a Building Safety Upskilling Fund.

Commenting on the Six Point Plan, NFRC CEO, James Talman, said:

“Now that the government has set out its roadmap out of lockdown, they must use the Spring Budget as an opportunity to introduce policies to rebuild confidence, stimulate investment, and support the construction industry to build back greener and safer

He added:

“In the short-term, the Chancellor should immediately halt the introduction of Reverse Charge VAT—it’s not too late for a last-minute change in direction on this disastrous policy, which will cause a major headache for many construction firms.

He concluded:

“In the longer term, the government need to stimulate investment in future-proofing our building stock. Buildings contribute to 19 per cent of all the UK’s carbon emissions, and they are some of the least energy efficient in Europe. There is, therefore, a great need to retrofit not only our homes but our commercial building stock too—and roofing has a crucial role to play here, with a quarter of heat being lost through the roof.”