Toby's Story

Toby, 24, from Broxbourne in the East of England wanted to train as a construction worker but found himself caught in Westminster's political choices about infrastructure spending. Construction training providers across the East of England had unfilled places while local housing targets remained unmet, but HM Treasury treated training investment as a deficit risk rather than the mechanism to put skilled workers into desperately needed home building. The workers were available, the training capacity existed, and homes had planning permission. What was missing was a central government willing to fund the posts that would connect ready workers to essential construction skills. This episode examines how Treasury spending constraints block pathways into secure trades work. Blocked Britain contains strong language and adult themes.