Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The consumer launch of the Get Britain Building Campaign this Friday has been given a boost now that the possibility of 5% VAT on home repairs and maintenance work has moved a step closer.
EU finance ministers voted last week to by allow member states to set their own rates of VAT on a number of sectors, including home repairs and maintenance.
The launch to consumers takes place this Friday at 11am at the National HomeBuilding and Renovating Show at the NEC in Birmingham, the UK’s largest exhibition aimed at the selfbuild and home renovating market.
“The decision to allow national governments to take action to cut VAT to 5% on home improvements taken in the EU is of monumental importance and could prove the single most important factor in the quest to stimulate the UK home renovation market which is vital to the future success of our industry,” says Mike Leonard, director of the Modern Masonry Alliance, one of the co-organisers of the campaign.
“Over 2m people work in the building industry, which is suffering its worst recession for over two decades. Eight firms are going bust every day, house building is at its lowest level since 1924 and 300,000 workers are forecast to lose their jobs. This is storing up problems for the future as once the construction industry is depleted, it will take years to get back up to speed.”
Organised by the MMA, British Precast, BMF and FMB, the campaign is supported by dozens of construction industry trade associations, companies, hundreds of individuals and has cross party MP support. It wants the government to bring in a series of measures to kick start the housing market and potentially save 300,000 industry jobs. The consumer launch will encourage consumers to write to their MPs to urge them to support the campaign.
Merchants are encouraged to attend the show to support the launch. Tickets can be downloaded from www.national.homebuildingshow.co.uk/nfu.
Letter templates for writing to MPs can be downloaded from the BMF website www.bmf.org.uk
