Government confirms the construction industry and trades still able to work
As the coronavirus pandemic
continues to disrupt the UK, tradespeople are among those who have been advised they are still able to work under the national restrictions that came into effect on 5 November, including working in and around people’s homes. The news is certainly positive for the construction industry and homeowners in England, as it means people can take advantage of the new Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme, which will see the Government fund up to two-thirds of the cost of energy-efficient home improvements. The scheme is a key part of the UK’s green economic recovery following the pandemic. However, only TrustMark Registered Businesses can do work under the Government’s new scheme, meaning tradespeople and businesses who are not registered could be missing out on work. Simon Ayers, Chief Executive of TrustMark, explains, “There are certain steps that must be completed
in order to become a Green Homes Grant installer. Firstly, the businesses must hold a PAS 2030 certification and/or MCS certification for low carbon installations, which can be achieved through UKAS accredited certification bodies. “They must also register with TrustMark which in turn, will allow them to register with the Government’s scheme administrator as a Green Homes Grant installer. “There are thousands of UK customers looking for someone to carry out work under the scheme right now, so it’s most certainly worth businesses getting involved.” The levels of work that will be created over the next decade to improve the homes we live in means a sustainable and growth driven market for businesses to operate within, an investment with rewards. To communicate this message, TrustMark has created a number of assets to make it easier for businesses to become Green Homes Grant installers, outlining the steps in more detail at: www.trustmark.org.uk/ghgvsopp
8 | Creative Build Magazine - Industry News
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, the Government and industry have worked hard to ensure written safety guidelines are in place. To keep everyone safe, TrustMark, has created Work Safe Safe Work: a three-part guide to help customers know what to do before, while and after they have tradespeople working for them. “We know that many people have reservations about what is expected of them and what they need to do while the work is taking place to ensure it’s safe. That’s why we would recommend tradespeople send out the Work Safe Safe Work guide to their customers at least 48 hours prior to the work being done”, says Simon Ayers. “In providing such clear and simple information, the guide will keep both tradespeople and customers safe, while giving them confidence in this new reality we are finding ourselves in.” For further information, please visit TrustMark’s dedicated Green Homes Grant page for trades: www.trustmark.org.uk/ghgvsopp
