Major shortage of British builders revealed as Labour minister admits we can’t just rely on migrant workforce

A HOME-GROWN army of brickies holds the key to sparking a house-building boom, a minister declared yesterday.

A lack of skilled workers is holding back construction.

But badly-needed recruits should be identified and trained here — rather than the building industry relying on migrant labour, according to housing minister Matthew Pennycook.

In particular, a major boost to bricklaying apprenticeships is needed to ensure a Labour target of constructing 1.5 million homes by 2029 is met, he says.

Mr Pennycook told Times Radio: “We’ve got to do more to upskill our own workforce, to ensure that those training places, those apprenticeships and ultimately those jobs are coming from people that live in this country to fill those vacancies.

“You can’t rely wholly on an overseas workforce.”

New analysis from the Construction Industry Training Board yesterday found that Britain needs 250,000 more workers by 2028 to meet demand.

Labour’s target, one of six milestones unveiled by Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday, would require the building of 300,000 homes a year — a rate not achieved since the 1970s.

Mr Pennycook called the goal “stretching but achievable”.

Meanwhile, the Construction Plant-hire Association claims the national insurance rise risks undermining the industry. CEO Steve Mulholand said: “We’re ready to build but the government’s making it more than challenging.”