Building standards verification services - performance and workforce: national annual report 2024-2025

6. Conclusions

6.1. This report provides analysis and supporting commentary on the national picture for building standards verification services in Scotland. A range of data gathered from local authorities has been aggregated and presented to show Scotland level building warrant activity, performance against each KPO and the current and future size of the building standards professional workforce.

6.2. National-level data continue to show a downturn across the construction sector with the corresponding impact resulting in a lower number of building warrant applications and therefore fewer completion certificate submissions accepted.

6.3. Verifier performance across Scotland has remained steady throughout 2024-25 with the majority of verifiers achieving or getting very close to meeting key performance outcome targets for turnaround times in relation to issuing first reports and building warrants.

6.4. The verification function is intended to be self-financing from building warrant fee income and in recent years there has been a trend showing decreasing fee income due to the downturn in construction activity on a national basis. Increases to building warrant fees over recent years has helped to offset the impact from fewer building warrant applications. This will continue to be monitored to assess whether fee income levels improve across Scotland and that re-investment to improve performance of verification services is effective.

6.5. The building standards workforce across Scotland remains at a steady level with a small increase in the overall number of staff. However, demand to attract people to work in the profession is still high with significant shortfalls forecast across key roles. Notably, the surveyor role remains the post with the biggest shortfall and where recruitment activity is being focused. Longer term demand continues to increase over the next three to five years underlining the need for attraction, recruitment and retention activities to be effective to support succession planning and sustainability of service levels.

6.6. The age profile of the workforce is not changing in any clear direction. The number of staff under 40 years is reducing marginally over time. This trend, if it continues, will reinforce the older age demographic. Recruitment of modern and graduate apprentices has been a priority to bring people into the profession and to build expertise and capacity. The number of apprentices in the workforce remains steady against resourcing and budgetary pressures across all local authorities. Recruitment of apprentices brings a mix of skills and knowledge that provides a basis for the profession to grow in future years.

6.7. The number of leavers remains steady over the last three years and there is a clear reduction in leavers with short service which indicates an improved level of retention in junior to mid-range job roles. The reduction in the number of bachelor and honours degree qualifications held is significant and may be attributed to the loss of experienced staff through retirement.

6.8. There has been a further decrease in the number of professional memberships held by building standards staff. In 2020, the number of staff holding memberships was 270, this is now 217. This could be explained by retirements from the profession and some members reducing the number of memberships they hold. These numbers will be monitored.

6.9. The increase in demand for additional staff is expected in the medium term, due to the forthcoming rollout of the compliance plan approach which is expected to drive-up the number of notifications to verifiers for inspections and checks during construction. The requirement for additional capacity is being anticipated to resource inspections as the new approach is introduced on a phased basis from 2026.

6.10. To recognise the resource implication for local authority verifiers, building warrant fees were increased for a second time in April 2025. Increases to building warrant fees are in place to fund the additional resource needed.

6.11. Scottish Government will continue to monitor performance levels across Scotland and assess the impact of changes in the workforce and wider policies, including increased fees, professional competency and the compliance agenda.