Malik's Story

Malik, 26, from Hornsey and Friern Barnet in London, wanted to train as a construction worker to help build the homes his community desperately needs. Construction training providers in London had unfilled places while the local authority housing target remained unmet. But HM Treasury and CITB failed to direct levy funding to areas with the greatest housing need, treating infrastructure spending as a deficit risk rather than as the mechanism that puts skilled workers to work building homes that already have planning permission. The workers were available. The training capacity was there. The constraint was Westminster's choice, not resources. This is Blocked Britain, stories of political choices that stop people working. Contains strong language and discussion of mental health impacts.