UKCA Marking Extended but No Clarification Yet on Construction Products

THE UK government has announced that the deadline for when businesses across the wider economy need to use the UKCA mark has been extended.

Although it has been possible to use the UKCA mark from 1 January 2021 in the UK (excluding Northern Ireland), to allow businesses further time to adjust to the new requirements, the existing CE marking can now be used until 31 December 2024 in most cases.

UKCA Marking for Construction Products 

The Construction Product Association (CPA) warns however that construction products fall under different regulations that have not yet been amended. It was announced that government departments for specific sectors such as construction products are responsible for making sector-specific arrangements.

The CPA says it has raised issue with the government and is pushing for further clarity, particularly from the Departments for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, which is the government department responsible for the construction products sector. The CPA says it has also asked the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy to make this distinction with the general announcement on its website.

Peter Caplehorn, Chief Executive, Construction Products Association.

Peter Caplehorn, CPA Chief Executive, said: “The status quo is not certain, and for construction product manufacturers and the wider construction industry to prepare for any impending policy changes, the government must expedite its decision on this critical issue for our sector. The year-end is fast approaching, and Parliament will recess on 21 December, leaving very little time for government to enact the necessary legislation to make the policy and its deadline a reality. It also leaves the industry to face the increasingly difficult process through next year to re-test and re-certify new products where few or no UK facilities exist to achieve this.

“With the longer term in mind, we must also ask government ministers to re-consider the usefulness of the CA Mark policy, and whether a more reasonable, practical solution exists to help achieve the right aims but avoid further and unnecessary loss of time, money and resources. This continues to have a significant impact on investment, innovation, and growth of the sector.”

LHC, the public sector construction procurement frameworks organisation, has said it will continue to accept cerftification from companies using both CE and UKCA marking.

It cautions, “However, we encourage all Appointed Companies and tenderers to ensure they can comply with the UKCA marking requirements as soon as possible by reading the guidance and making suitable arrangements for the switchover well before the 31 December 2024 deadline.”

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