SNIPEF has released research results showing that, despite demand, issues such as rising costs, payment delays, and lack of skills still present challenges to growth
The Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation (SNIPEF) latest State of Trade report highlights that strain could also damage the stability of the plumbing and heating profession.
The research was gathered from the members of the federation, 750 companies employing over 3,000 professionals.
Plumbing and Heating demand is expected to continue rising
38% of the surveyed plumbing and heating firms reported that their workload was busier than expected last year, while a further 84% anticipated this workload to remain constant or increase in the next few months.
Still, 82% of the surveyed firms also reported issues with payment delays, especially from large contractors and small builders, and 57% also said there were more incidents with non-payment.
Despite these issues, only 49% reported a slight improvement in payments, and 42% saw no change, indicating the issues are outpacing the benefits by a large margin, reflected by only 32% showing optimism for the coming year.
Furthermore, only 23% of firms expect to increase their plumbing and heating staff within the next six months, further showing issues with skills and staffing.
“The path to growth remains challenging”
Fiona Hodgson, SNIPEF chief executive, said: “With the Scottish Government’s budget on the horizon, there is an opportunity to put in place measures that will protect the future of this essential profession. Our members are committed to delivering quality services in their communities, but without fair payment practices and improved access to skilled workers, the path to growth remains challenging.”
“While the increased Employment Allowance will help smaller employers, the NI hike limits funds that could otherwise go towards essential skills training and development.”
“Supporting skills development, incentivising apprenticeships, and ensuring fair payment practices across the supply chain should be top priorities. Such measures would help relieve the skills shortage and give our members the confidence to grow and continue delivering essential services across Scotland.”
