The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has today launched its Consensus process to assess industry support for its Levy Proposals that will help provide training for the construction industry across the next three years
Usually undertaken every three years, Consensus is the process through which CITB seeks Levy-paying employers’ views and agreement on its plans for generating the Levy and the skills and training this will deliver to the industry. CITB’s core focus for the 2026-29 Levy Proposals is to ensure that the Levy exemption and reduction thresholds remain current and appropriate.
The Consensus process will take place between Monday 17 March – Friday 9 May 2025.
CITB’s Levy Proposals for the 2026 – 29 Levy are:
- PAYE: 0.35%
- Net paid (Taxable) CIS Sub-contractors: 1.25%
- Increasing the Levy Exemption threshold so companies that have an employee payroll and net paid (taxable) CIS contractors of less than £150,000 are exempt from paying the Levy
- Reducing the Levy Reduction threshold so companies that have an employee payroll and net paid (taxable) CIS contractors of between £150,000 – £499,999 will get a 50% reduction on the Levy
- No other exemptions will apply.
Measuring Consensus is a sample-based process, so there is no expectation that all Levy payers will be asked to provide their views. However, the Prescribed Organisations will gather views from their members, and an independent market research company (IFF) will conduct a representative sample survey of 4,000 employers who are not part of a Prescribed Organisation.
This number is large enough to report reliable results. The combined results will demonstrate the level of support by two measures; the number of employers that are supportive and the amount of Levy paid by supportive employers.
Subcontractors can now report issues anonymously
As part of CITB’s commitment to addressing the issue of Levy-registered employers passing on the Levy to subcontractors, a new anonymous online reporting system has been introduced. This platform is designed to better understand the scale of the practice and gather valuable insights to help bring an end to it. Subcontractors affected by these deductions can use the platform to report instances confidentially and completely anonymously.
For those who wish for further action, CITB can contact the contractors involved and formally request that they cease making deductions.
This initiative is part of a broad effort to ensure fairness across the construction industry and uphold the integrity of the Levy system. CITB is committed to supporting subcontractors and ensuring that all industry participants are treated equitably.
Tim Balcon, CEO at CITB, said: “The Levy is designed to ensure that construction employers of all sizes feel supported with their skills and training needs. It plays a vital role in investing in the British construction industry, ensuring the development of a skilled workforce to meet the sector’s current and future demands.
“Following the publication of our Strategic Plan 2025 – 29, employers now have a full picture of how we intend to support the industry over the life of the Strategic Plan and accompanying Levy Order.”
You can read more about the 2025 CITB Consensus here.
