NFB: EU workers make a crucial contribution to UK construction
June 3, 2019
The Home Affairs Committee (HAC) has called on the Government to confirm in primary legislation the rights of EU citizens after the UK leaves the EU.
In March 2019, the Government launched the EU Settlement Scheme to help establish the immigration status of EU citizens legally residing in the UK. People who apply through the scheme are granted ‘settled status’. If they have been living in the UK for more than 5 years, permanent resident status is granted.
People who have lived in the UK for less than 5 years receive ‘pre-settled status’, allowing them to apply for ‘settled status’ once they reach 5 years of residence.
In a report published on 30 May 2019, the HAC is concerned that, due to the complicated nature of a predominantly online-based process and low public awareness of the scheme, a sizeable number of EU citizens may face doubts about their future immigration status because they have failed to apply through the EU Settlement Scheme.
At a time when Britain faces the most acute housing crisis since the 1940s, the National Federation of Builders (NFB) supports the calls to enshrine into law the rights of EU citizens, who make a crucial contribution to the UK’s construction industry. Concerns remain that many skilled construction workers may not have the language or technical skills to wade through the different phases of the EU Settlement Scheme.
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “If we are to build the 800 homes a day we need to meet demand, the 164,000 EU citizens working in construction should have an absolute certainty that their rights are protected. We support proposals to deliver this via primary legislation and once again call on the Government to make resources such as translators available to discuss applications with caseworkers on construction workers’ behalf.”
You May Also Enjoy
Mould and damp – what you need to know ahead of winter
With the winter months just round the corner, problems with damp and mould can become far more prominent. Autumntime is when many people turn on central heating systems and choose to close windows, preventing fresh air ventilation needed to allow damp air to leave a property. Unfortunately, the combination of warm and damp air can…
Read More 
Rental price and average salary tracker – September 2025
London and South East see biggest dips in required rental salary year-on-year London and the South East saw the sharpest dips year-on-year in the average salary needed in order to rent the average home in that area. London saw a 4.2% drop, whilst the South East saw a decline of 2.9%. Yorkshire and Humberside saw…
Read More 
The cities where buying beats renting – with just a 5% deposit
British first-time buyer mortgage payments are typically 17% cheaper than renting, even with a low 5% deposit The average 5% deposit is £11,412 based on a typical first-time buyer property price of £228,233 Among major cities outside London, the biggest gap between owning and renting is in Glasgow, where buyers could save more than £4,750…
Read More 
Rightmove’s Weekly Mortgage Rates Tracker
Average rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages Term Average rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 4.51% +0.00% -0.37% 5-year fixed 4.55% +0.01% +0.01% Lowest rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages Term Lowest rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 3.77% +0.05% -0.07% 5-year fixed 3.97% +0.10% +0.29% Average…
Read More
Data and commentary from Rightmove on stamp duty reforms
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert said: “We’ve been calling for stamp duty reform for some time now, as it’s a significant barrier for many people moving home. Abolishing it completely would remove one of the biggest barriers to moving, unlocking more moves at all stages of the property ladder. “Our data shows that only 5%…
Read More 
Second-time buyers dominate demand for longer term fixed mortgage deals
Second-time buyers are dominating demand for longer term fixed mortgage deals, fresh data from Moneyfacts Analyser can reveal. Of those looking for fixed term deals on moneyfactscompare.co.uk: Almost two-thirds (58%) of second-time buyers who compared mortgage deals using the moneyfactscompare.co.uk website were considering terms of three years or longer in the 30 days to 1…
Read More