40% increase in HSE cost recovery invoices
In October 2015, it was reported that invoices issued to construction companies by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) for costs recovery had increased by 40% in the three years since they were introduced.
The HSE’s Fee for Intervention scheme was first introduced in October 2012 and was intended to give HSE the power to charge those in contravention of health and safety legislation for investigatory and enforcement costs incurred by the executive.
Analysis by legal firm Pinsent Masons revealed that in August 2015 the average cost of an invoice had risen to more than £700, an increase of 40%.
The HSE has in recent years been faced with difficult funding cuts, leading to the controversial speculation that the scheme is now being used to raise money from the industry.
Laura Cameron, a Partner at Pinsent Masons, said: “The HSE will need to recoup the funding lost in budget cuts via wider use of the Fee for Intervention scheme. The regulator is issuing those guilty of breaches with invoices for increasingly significant sums – signaling that it remains serious about clamping down on non-compliance.”
Despite, or perhaps because of, this approach, the number of enforcement notices issued by the HSE fell in 2014/15 to 9,446 from 10,119 in 2013/14. The number of cases in England and Wales that were prosecuted rose by 2% from the previous year to 586.
At the start of 2016, new sentencing guidelines are expected to be introduced which will mean tougher penalties for corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences, with fines of up to £20m for those found guilty.
Cameron said, “The increase in the number of prosecutions is, of course, encouraging and alongside tougher sentencing guidelines for corporate manslaughter, signals that a more hard-line approach is coming.”
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
Featured articles and news
CIOB Apprentice of the Year 2025/26
Construction apprentice from Lincoln Mia Owen wins this years title.
Insulation solutions with less waste for a circular economy
Rob Firman, Technical and Specification Manager, Polyfoam XPS explains.
Recycled waste plastic in construction
Hierarchy, prevention to disposal, plastic types and approaches.
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard V1 published
Free-to-access technical standard to enable robust proof of a decarbonising built environment.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Why talking about prostate cancer matters in construction.
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch up for free, subscribe and share with your network.
The Association of Consultant Architects recap
A reintroduction and recap of ACA President; Patrick Inglis' Autumn update.
The Home Energy Model and its wrappers
From SAP to HEM, EPC for MEES and FHS assessment wrappers.
Future Homes Standard Essentials launched
Future Homes Hub launches new campaign to help sector prepare for the implementation of new building standards.
Building Safety recap February, 2026
Our regular run-down of key building safety related events of the month.
Planning reform: draft NPPF and industry responses.
Last chance to comment on proposed changes to the NPPF.
A Regency palace of colour and sensation. Book review.
Delayed, derailed and devalued
How the UK’s planning crisis is undermining British manufacturing.
How much does it cost to build a house?
A brief run down of key considerations from a London based practice.
The need for a National construction careers campaign
Highlighted by CIOB to cut unemployment, reduce skills gap and deliver on housing and infrastructure ambitions.