What CSCS Card Changes for 2025 Mean for the Commercial Sector

CFA and FITA Training Manager Shaun Wadsworth explains what CSCS card changes in 2025 mean for the commercial sector.

Effective this month, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is implementing significant changes to their Green Labourer and Red Trainee CSCS Cards. CSCS note that these changes aim to enhance workforce competency and align with the Building Safety Act’s emphasis on safety and competence within the construction industry. For the contract flooring sector, contractors and individual installers working on carded sites should take note of the changes as they align with other suggested changes to site access.

The first change focuses on the initial term for first-time Green Labourer card applicants, which has been reduced from five years down to two years. After this two-year period, individuals continuing in labouring roles can renew their card for an additional five years by providing evidence of employment in a labouring position. This adjustment seeks to ensure that only those actively engaged in labouring duties hold the card, addressing concerns about an oversupply of Labourer cards in the industry.

The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Construction Skills Network Forecast indicates that approximately 140,000 labourers will be needed annually by 2028. However, with around 500,000 Labourer cards currently in circulation, CSCS state it’s evident the card is oversupplied, with data suggesting that 85% of Labourers don’t renew their card.

By reducing the Labourer card’s initial validity to two years, CSCS claim they can better track the actual number of active Labourers in the sector and state ‘the requirement for proof of working in a labouring role upon renewal will ensure the card is no longer used as the default easy option for site access.’

Additionally, the CITB Health, Safety, and Environment test, required for the initial two-year card application, will have its validity extended to three years. This extension allows the same test to be used for both the initial application and the first renewal, reducing financial and logistical burdens on cardholders.

The second change to come into force this month relates to Red Trainee cards. However, it is important to emphasise that this doesn’t affect the flooring sector. But for completeness, I will explain a little. Within entry level construction qualifications there is a route whereby a (usually young) person can try a trade at college. This provides them with a flexible approach to learning via a limited amount of college time ending in a L2 qualification.

Because it’s limited in scope, with no employment or site related time, it doesn’t have enough content to claim competence in a qualification sense. Therefore, it’s known as an ‘occupation-related non-competence qualification.’

For these qualification and entrants into industry, CSCS offer a two-year Red Trainee card. At the end of that initial two-year period cardholders can then obtain a new three-year Trainee card by providing evidence of registration onto an N/SVQ or an agreed alternative (such as an apprenticeship). It mainly applies to Construction T-Levels, Bricklaying, Site Carpentry, and Joinery, where such college-based courses are available. However, flooring does not have equivalent college courses, but instead encourages new entrants into the industry via our fully developed apprenticeship route, or on-site assessments towards an S/NVQ L3.

All the above information and lots more is included in the updated Contract Flooring Industry Training Guide 2025 produced by the CFA and due to be published next month. A hard copy will be provided with CFJ and it is also available through the CFJ website, CFA website and our news channel Floorscape. The Training Guide is updated annually and is the definitive source of information about all flooring industry training opportunities in the UK. The guide helps to filter all the information on training within construction to leave the core source of how flooring contractors and their installers achieve the knowledge, skills, behaviours and experience required for quality installation.

If you are a CFA member and need personalised additional support in any training areas including CSCS cards, please feel free to get in touch as this is just one of many member benefits.

Not a CFA member? Then why not consider joining us today and to see just how much help we can be. For an information pack email info@cfa.org.uk or visit the CFA website and apply online.