The UK does not have enough construction workers to build the 1.5 million homes the government has promised, industry leaders have told the BBC.
Tens of thousands of new recruits are needed for bricklaying, groundworks and carpentry to get anywhere near the target, they say.
The Home Builders Federation (HBF), along with the UK’s largest housebuilder Barratt Redrow, said skills shortages, ageing workers and Brexit were some of the factors behind the shrinking workforce.
The government confirmed there was a “dire shortage” of construction workers but said it was “taking steps to rectify” the problem, the BBC has reported.
The revelation has come as prime minister Sir Keir Starmer repeated the pledge he made soon after taking power to deliver 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029.
He unveiled sweeping changes to the planning system and vowed to override what he termed as “blockers” standing in the way of building the new homes.
Labour’s target is to build an average of 300,000 new homes a year, whereas in recent years the number has been about 220,000.
The current workforce is estimated to be 2.67 million, according to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the BBC said.
But for every 10,000 new homes to be built, the sector needs about 30,000 new recruits across 12 trades, according to the HBF, the trade body for the house building industry in England and Wales.
Based on the government’s plans, the HBF said estimated number of new workers required for some common trades, for example, would be:
• 20,000 bricklayers
• 2,400 plumbers
• 8,000 carpenters
• 3,200 plasterers
• 20,000 groundworkers
• 1,200 tilers
• 2,400 electricians
• 2,400 roofers
• 480 engineers
The shortages are compounded by the fact the industry is ageing, with a quarter of construction workers aged over 50.
The think-tank the Centre for Cities has also estimated housebuilders will fall 388,000 short of the government’s 1.5 million target, with skills shortages a key factor, the BBC warned.
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