The Masonry Association has welcomed the Government’s announcement that technical education will become a central part of the curriculum for young people from the age of 14, describing the move as a significant step towards addressing the construction skills crisis and restoring parity between academic and vocational learning. Under the new proposals, pupils will be able to combine core academic subjects with technical education, employer engagement and workplace experience that reflects the needs of their local economy. The reforms aim to create clearer pathways into skilled careers and ensure young people are equipped for the jobs of the future. For the Masonry Association, this announcement validates the direction of travel that the organisation has already been championing. For the past year, the Association has been working in partnership with Lady Manners School in Derbyshire to demonstrate exactly what high-quality technical

The first week of Andy Burnham’s premiership has certainly caught the attention of the construction industry. While many of the Government’s long-term plans are still to be unveiled, the early signals point towards an agenda centred on housing delivery, regional investment, skills and devolved decision-making – all areas that have the potential to positively influence the UK masonry sector. For an industry that has faced years of uncertainty, skills shortages and inconsistent workloads, there is cautious optimism that construction could once again become a national priority.   Housing Must Be Matched by Delivery   The Government has reaffirmed its ambition to increase housebuilding, including a renewed focus on affordable and council housing. If these ambitions are to become reality, they will require a strong, competent and well-resourced masonry workforce. Bricklayers, masonry contractors, manufacturers and suppliers will all have a vital

Over the past two weeks, the Masonry Association has been working with PLF to deliver CITB Short Duration Training across five sites in Wigan, Manchester and Cheshire. Training was delivered to 40 operatives, covering two specialist courses: Installing Fire Breaks and Barriers Specialist DPC Systems The majority of the programme consisted of refresher training. As these CITB courses require refreshing every four years, the training ensures operatives remain compliant, maintain their competence and stay up to date with current industry standards, products and installation techniques. Our trainer was highly impressed with the professionalism, organisation and commitment shown by everyone involved. Across both the practical and theory assessments, the operatives demonstrated an excellent level of competence, reflecting PLF’s commitment to maintaining high standards of workmanship and continuous professional development. Following successful completion, all achievements have been uploaded to the CITB Training

CITB’s newly published Business Plan for 2026–27 represents a significant shift in how construction skills funding and workforce development will be approached over the coming years. At the centre of the Plan is a much stronger focus on competence, workforce capability and productivity. CITB has clearly recognised that the construction skills challenge is no longer simply about increasing training numbers — it is about developing a more competent workforce that can meet future demands safely, efficiently and productively. For the masonry sector, this shift is broadly positive. The masonry industry has already invested considerable time and effort into developing structured routes to occupational competence, and the completion of the Bricklaying Competency Framework places the sector in a strong position as these changes begin to take effect. The framework demonstrates that competence is not achieved through a single qualification or apprenticeship

UK brick prices are climbing sharply once again, adding fresh pressure to housebuilders, contractors and homeowners already grappling with rising construction costs. Industry data and supplier updates suggest the latest wave of increases is being driven by a combination of higher energy prices, supply chain disruption and weakening domestic brick production. Manufacturers and merchants across the sector are warning that costs are unlikely to stabilise in the short term. Government figures published in April showed brick deliveries in the UK fell by 18.3% year-on-year in February 2026, highlighting continuing pressure on supply. Although March figures showed a slight improvement, deliveries remained below 2025 levels. The tightening market is already feeding through into prices. Standard clay facing bricks are now commonly priced between £650 and £850 per thousand, while premium facing bricks can exceed £1,200 per thousand. Handmade and heritage-style bricks