Framework awards appear to reward poor payment practice

November 12, 2019

NFB has reacted to the Government’s recent announcement of the successful contractors to win places on the £30bn framework for public sector construction. Chief Executive, Richard Beresford, commented:

“What’s disappointing is that despite the Government knowing how late payment can seriously damage smaller businesses, as many NFB members will testify, these awards show that late payers are still winning public sector contracts. With small businesses paying the price for the Government’s inaction, the Crown Commercial Service must ensure that that it champions best practice and doesn’t give late payment another free pass.

“Despite small and medium-sized enterprises training four in five construction apprentices, being the UK’s predominant rural employers and making up 99% of the construction industry, only 44% of contract winners were SMEs. While this is an improvement on recent years, with seven lots still to be awarded, the Government must do more to make sure a greater number of construction SMEs are able to compete for work.”

National Federation of Builders

The National Federation of Builders is a United Kingdom trade association representing the interests of small and medium-sized building contractors in England and Wales.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Housing market trends highlight a changing landscape

The housing market has seen many challenges across the year to date and, in many ways, the property landscape has been a year of two extremes already.   At the start of the year, there was a quiet but optimistic consumer confidence in the air.   However, with the global economy impacting almost every aspect…
Read More →
Breaking News

Mortgage rate rises loom as major lenders reprice

Major lenders have moved to increase mortgage rates to catch up with recent rises to swap rates, according to Moneyfactscompare.co.uk analysis.   Over the coming days, more lenders are expected to review mortgage rates in response to higher swap rates, with HSBC and NatWest so far the biggest banks to increase rates since the start…
Read More →
Breaking News

Average house price edged down in August

House prices in August 2026 were -0.4% lower compared to the same month a year earlier.   Average house price edged down in August as market remains subdued • House prices fell slightly in August ( -0.2%), following a -0.1% decrease in July • Average property price now £298,468 compared with £299,153 in July •…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

A derelict property will still set you back £240,000

The latest data from LandSale, the property portal dedicated to land and rural property, reveals that buyers looking to breathe new life into a derelict property could face an asking price as high as £237,500 on average, highlighting the substantial value still attached to redevelopment opportunities across Britain.   Britain continues to struggle with a severe…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Selling an Inherited Property in Scotland: A Clear Guide

Selling an inherited property in Scotland can begin only once confirmation, the Scottish equivalent of probate, has been granted by the court. Until that legal authority is in place, the executor cannot complete a sale, so grasping the sequence early saves later frustration. Families who would rather not manage a long marketing process sometimes approach…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 3/9/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   The imminent interest rate hike is going to be a real reckoner for property   When interest rates rise again, Britain’s housing market will discover what it is really worth   Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR For more than a decade, Britain’s housing…
Read More →