Responding to the Government’s housebuilding statement in Parliament today, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Tina McKenzie, said:
“Today’s outline of steps to increase the construction of new homes sounds promising on the face of it, and we look forward to seeing more detail in the coming weeks.
“Small and micro businesses are a fundamental part of the construction sector, and have the potential - with the right support and encouragement - to play a transformative role in delivering new homes, jobs and growth.
“We would ask that small housebuilders are central to the Government’s plan. Without that, the project won’t succeed and too few people will be able to get the houses they need.
“The sad reduction in the number of small housebuilders in recent decades is a cause – not just a consequence – of so many of the problems in supply.
“The Government must make sure it’s mindful of the different needs small housebuilders have compared to the major developers – and that we can get Britain building faster and better if the financing, skills and business needs of smaller firms are front of mind.
“That includes reforming policies like the consumer infrastructure levy so they don’t structurally prevent small businesses from accessing finance to build.
“Hand-in-hand with all of this should also be action to tackle late payments and other poor payment practices by big businesses to their smaller suppliers, which are particularly prevalent in the construction sector and act as a brake on investment.”
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