The Government must re-think its approach on immigration after Brexit

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has warned the Government that its plans to reduce immigration after Brexit will have “devastating consequences” for London and urges it to re-consider its plans to impose a £30,000 salary threshold on EU citizens coming into the UK after Brexit.

Speaking to the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khan said that City Hall analysis has found that sectors including construction will be hit hardest by new restrictions on low-skilled immigration.

Khan has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel, recommending the Government reduce the salary threshold to £21,000, the equivalent of the London Living Wage and give City Hall powers to fast-track visas.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomes the mayor of London’s support but any threshold would create an additional barrier to building new homes and make life harder for SMEs and regional contractors, particularly at a time when the construction industry continues to face significant shortages of skilled workers.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB said: “We have always stated that the £30,000 salary threshold could cripple construction, so we welcome the mayor of London’s support.

“A more practical solution could be to set the EU worker’s salary to the salary of a settled worker in the region he or she will work. This would provide the flexibility London and our regions need to attract workers with a fair rate of pay.”

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

Propertymark New Builds Pricing Report – Summer/Autunm 2025

Average house prices for new instructions regarding newbuild properties being marketed in the South West have dropped by £33,120 when compared to a year previously in October 2024, according to data from by Propertymark.  Additionally, Yorkshire and Humberside saw a £33,104 drop during the same period for average house prices for instructions relating to newbuild houses.  Throughout the entire…
Read More
Breaking News

How much should landlords earmark for maintenance?

Landlords should earmark a quarter of rental income for maintenance and repairs As the Renters’ Rights Bill is passed into law, increasing the demands and expectations of landlords – not least when it comes to the proper upkeep of their properties – new research from Adiuvo, the UK’s leading provider of 24/7 property management support,…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Breaking News

Developers lose confidence ahead of Autumn Budget

Jonathan Samuels, CEO of Octane Capital, believes that growing uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget has left many developers hesitant to progress new housing projects, with confidence falling sharply as fears of new property taxes, rising costs, and ongoing planning challenges weigh heavily on the sector. The latest survey of UK property developers, commissioned by specialist…
Read More
Breaking News

Could the Autumn Budget dent property values?

Autumn Budget uncertainty could see house prices continue to fall The latest research by nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has found that those looking to sell could see the value of their home fall over the remainder of the year, as historic data shows that major fiscal events such as…
Read More
bricks rubble
Breaking News

Westminster Debate Highlights Urgent Need to Tackle Rogue Builders

A Westminster Hall debate yesterday, led by Mark Garnier MP, brought MPs from across the political spectrum together to address the growing problem of rogue builders. The discussion highlighted shocking cases of homeowners losing thousands of pounds, unsafe work being carried out, and rogue traders repeatedly evading justice by exploiting loopholes in the current system.…
Read More
Breaking News

Ombudsman welcomes Renters’ Rights Act implementation roadmap

The Property Ombudsman welcomed the Government’s roadmap for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 that sets out how the legislation will be implemented. The Government’s announcement today (14 November) follows the Property Ombudsman’s Consumer and Industry Forum on 12 November where Stephanie Kvam, Deputy Director – Private Rented Sector at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and…
Read More