PHAM NEWS | FEBRUARY 2026 6 News Review


Scottish apprentice recruitment to fall sharply


Apprenticeships in Scotland are set to fall sharply as new research from SNIPEF reveals that one in three employers plan to stop recruiting. The warning follows the recent announcement of a major new apprenticeship funding package in England, raising fears Scotland may fall further behind on support for employers and young people. The findings, published in


SNIPEF’s new Apprenticeships Under Pressure report, draw on the views of employers across Scotland’s plumbing and heating profession and show that while employers remain committed to high training standards, rising costs and fi nancial pressures are


The publication of SNIPEF’s


research comes as the UK government announces 50,000 new apprenticeship places in England, backed by a £725million reform package that will remove the 5% co-investment cost for small and medium-sized employers training under-25 apprentices. These measures apply only in England, where technical apprenticeships already attract signifi cantly higher funding, in some cases more than double Scotland’s contribution, in contrast to Scotland’s college contribution rates, which have been frozen for almost a decade. In addition, employers in


making apprenticeship recruitment increasingly unaffordable. The top barriers identifi ed are limited funding support (67%), high wage costs (65%), and the cost of workplace supervision (47%). Employers are also clear about where the problem lies. More than three quarters (77%) rate current Scottish government support as


More fi rms suspended


The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has suspended fi ve member companies for failing to comply with its independent audit process, following the suspension of 14 fi rms in 2025. BESA’s Council said the move is part of its ongoing campaign to improve technical and professional standards across the sector. The fi ve companies failed to meet BESA’s Competence Assessment


Standard (CAS), which covers business practices, fi nancial solvency, insurance, health & safety, and technical profi ciency. Firms applying to join or remain in BESA must meet and continue to meet this standard. Aligned with the Build UK Common Assessment Standard, BESA’s process supports the UK government’s aim to improve construction standards under the Building Safety Act. CEO David Frise says: “We do not suspend members lightly but take


our wider responsibilities to the industry and its clients extremely seriously. Membership needs to stand for something – we favour quality over quantity.”


Webinar answers common apprenticeship questions


poor or inadequate, and almost all (93%) say increased funding is the single change needed to make recruitment viable. A majority (62%) also believe costs should be shared equally between employers and government, reflecting the balance that previously helped sustain training across the profession.


England can draw on unused Apprenticeship Levy funds to help cover training costs, giving them practical and visible routes to support apprenticeship places. By contrast, Scottish employers cannot access levy receipts in this way and have no clear transparency over how levy income allocated to Scotland is used. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/226/02


NEWS IN BRIEF


◼ Spirotech has joined Carrier Global’s Alliance Supplier Programme, providing air and dirt separation technologies, system water quality solutions, and performance components designed to optimise the efficiency and longevity of heating and cooling systems across Carrier’s global product portfolio.


◼ The 2025 Impact Report has been published by Bristan Group, setting out the firm’s priorities for the year ahead, including continued action to reduce environmental impact, further embedding inclusivity across the business, and strengthening partnerships that deliver positive social change.


◼ Grant UK has added a new feature to the Customer Support Centre on its website. The New Build Homeowners Support hub is a dedicated area where homeowners who have moved into a new build home can learn more about the Aerona air source heat pump keeping their property warm.


◼ Coventry-based Lawton Tubes is boosting employment across all areas of


the


business by introducing a new enterprise resource planning system, overhauling its HR system and making new senior appointments.


The high cost of congestion


Plumbers are losing thousands of pounds each year as traffic congestion cuts into working hours, new research suggests. A study by temporary business van insurance specialist Tempcover analysed Department for Transport congestion data alongside average van mileage and trade hourly rates and found van drivers in England lose around 98.6 hours annually to delays, with plumbers particularly affected due to their mobile work and multiple daily appointments. With plumbers’ average hourly charges of about £50, this lost time could equal nearly £5,000 in missed income each year. To minimise risk of exposure to traffic congestion, Claire Wills-McKissick of Tempcover advises installers to plan appointments within the same geographic area, allow extra travel time between jobs and use real-time navigation apps to help minimise disruption and improve punctuality.


Common quest ions and misconceptions about gas and low carbon heating apprenticeships will be addressed during a free webinar, helping businesses build a more skilled workforce. Gas, plumbing and heating training provider Smart Energy Training is holding the webinar on Wednesday 11 February – during National Apprenticeship Week – to help demystify the process. The short, 45-minute webinar is


aimed at gas, plumbing, heating and renewable energy installers, housing associations and local


government workforce planners, energy


suppl iers, heat ing


manufacturers and training managers in the energy sector. Smart Energy Training experts


will explain how apprenticeships can solve real workforce challenges and what support is available, whether a business is new to apprenticeships or looking to scale its workforce. To find out more about the


webinar and to register for a place on the day, please use the reader link below. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/226/03


Court victory for shower manufacturer


Following its victory in the Court of Appeal in a long-running patent infringement action brought by Kohler Mira, Triton Showers will continue to sell its range of DuElec electric showers in the UK and ROI. The Court of Appeal unanimously


overturned the lower court’s findings of both validity and infringement of the patent in question, which concerned Triton’s range of dual outlet electric showers. This follows an initial court ruling in December 2024, which found in favour of Kohler


Mira. Working with law firm Shakespeare Martineau, Triton subsequently secured permission to appeal the decision.


Phil Viner, managing director at Triton Showers, says: “Over recent years, we have been working


◼ Home improvement platform Checkatrade has named Band of Builders as its offi cial charity partner for 2026, marking its commitment to continue to support the trade community.


◼ NIBE Energy Systems has been appointed to the new Procure Plus ‘Supply of Low and Zero Carbon Technologies’ framework, a programme designed to accelerate the deployment of renewable technologies across the social housing sector.


towards resolving a legal dispute concerning the DuElec electric shower. During this time, our legal team has vigorously defended Triton’s position, and the Court of Appeal has now ruled in Triton’s favour. “We are therefore pleased to


confi rm that Triton will continue to sell its highly successful range of DuElec electric showers in the UK and Ireland, as it has done since the product was launched in May 2022. We would like to extend our thanks to the Shakespeare Martineau legal team for helping us to secure this comprehensive outcome. “We would also like to thank our


valued customers for their support during this period and look forward to building further plans to optimise our range with them.”


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