BMF CEO says Autumn statement “missed opportunity”

BMF CEO, John Newcomb, has welcomed the announcement to make full expensing permanent but highlights that the government has missed several opportunities.

These opportunities include: the chance to create new jobs and boost local growth; failing to support a national retrofit strategy which would have improved the energy efficiency of millions of existing homes across the UK.

Newcomb said in a statement: “The announcement on full expensing will be welcomed by builders merchants and building material manufacturers along with many other businesses as they invest to expand and upgrade their facilities. But, beyond a pledge to reform elements of the planning system, there was little direct support for the construction sector in the main headlines of the Autumn Statement.

“We want to get Britain building again, but there was nothing in the budget relating to our number one ask, support for a national retrofit strategy.  This was a missed opportunity to stimulate the repair maintenance and improvement sector, create thousands of appropriately skilled jobs and boost much-needed local growth, while at the same time helping millions of families to improve their homes’ energy efficiency and cut heating bills.

“We will continue to speak directly to government to promote the positive impact of a skilled RMI programme.  Our parliamentary reception next week will focus on the work we are doing to build a workforce to deliver the low carbon solutions that are the essence of the national retrofit strategy and the impact kickstart support from government would make.”