SNIPEF A BRIGHT FUTURE

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1 A BRIGHT FUTURE The Plumbing Industry Licensing Scheme was established in 2002 to increase the professionalism of the plumbing industry. A number of partner organisations were involved in its development including Scottish Water, the Scottish Consumer Council and the Northern Ireland Consumer Council, the Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland and the Scottish Association of Chief Building Control Officers amongst others. There has also been significant input and support from the Scottish Building Standards Agency. The Construction Industry in Scotland has recognised the benefits of licensing and as a result has established the Construction Licensing Executive (CLE). The CLE oversees each of the individual Industry Sector Licensing Schemes and the Plumbing Industry Licensing Scheme is approved by the CLE to operate in Scotland. The CLE has the full backing of the Scottish Executive. A similar arrangement is planned to be established in Northern Ireland. SNIPEF allocates significant resources to promote the use of SNIPEF Licensed Businesses to customers. Many organisations now insist that only Licensed Businesses carry out plumbing work in their properties and this trend will continue. As well as becoming a SNIPEF Licensed Plumbing Business your firm will also become an Approved Contractor under the Scottish Water Byelaws. In Northern Ireland new Water Regulations have still to be implemented and an Approved Contractor Scheme is yet to be introduced. Approved Contractors will receive a pack containing full information about the scheme as well as copies of Water Byelaw Completion/Compliance Certificates which must be issued after completing plumbing work.

2 BUSINESS ADVICE Over the last few years there have been significant changes to Building Regulations, Water Byelaws, employment and health and safety legislation. Businesses large and small must comply with all legislation. As a SNIPEF Licensed Business you will have access to professional and experienced staff to help ensure that your business operates in accordance with current legislation. We have staff who can deal with contractual, technical, employment and health and safety issues. As an added benefit, SNIPEF has negotiated a special fee with Peninsula Business Services Ltd, specialists in employment and health and safety. Peninsula provide a personnel and health and safety advice service which is tailored to meet the needs of individual SNIPEF members. Peninsula will: Visit your premises and review the statement of written terms and conditions of employment you have issued to your employees to ensure that this complies with current legislation. Where no contracts exist, Peninsula will provide written statements for all your employees. Provide employment and management handbooks which will contain contractual terms and a copy of the Industry's Working Rules. Undertake yearly visits to ensure that businesses are operating the agreed procedures properly. Provide a 24 hour, 365 day a year Hotline Number which will provide you with support on either employment or health and safety issues. Should an ex-employee complain to an Employment Tribunal, Peninsula will visit your premises, take statements and collate the facts, prepare the case, brief witnesses, undertake research and represent you at the Tribunal. The indemnity cover provided means that compensation awards and legal costs are met in full by Peninsula.

3 SPECIALIST SERVICES SNIPEF operates a Public and Employers Liability Insurance scheme managed by Willis Insurance which has been designed to meet the needs of plumbing and heating businesses who operate throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland. As well as offering a comprehensive and cost effective Public and Employers' Liability Insurance package, Willis also offer insurance for business property, tools etc. SNIPEF Licensed Business membership entry criteria requires each member firm to maintain Public Liability insurance of at least 2 million and Employers Liability Insurance where required. By arranging your insurance via Willis your business can be confident that the work it carries out will be fully covered. Quotations are available directly from Willis and full details of the scheme will be provided once you become a SNIPEF Licensed Business. A private medical health scheme is also available for members, their families and their employees. The scheme offers medical cover at very competitive rates. A hotline contact number is provided to members which advises on the use of the service.

4 FINANCIAL BENEFITS Having to wade through offers of financial support and business benefits from various companies is a common occurrence for many plumbing businesses. One of the attractions of becoming a SNIPEF Licensed Business is that we offer schemes which are tailor-made to suit the requirements of plumbing firms. SNIPEF operates a Hire Purchase Scheme through SNIPEF Finance Ltd which enables members to buy new or second hand vehicles or plant and equipment at competitive rates of interest. Decisions on finance are usually made on the same day and there is no penalty for early settlement. You can also borrow up to 60,000 to improve your business premises or buy new premises. Finding the money to pay employees holiday pay is a concern to most businesses large or small. Operating the Industry Holiday Pay and Sick Pay Scheme means that you can budget your holiday pay commitments in advance by buying appropriate "holiday credits" to cover your employees annual holiday entitlement of 29 days. There are financial savings to you when you operate the Holiday Pay and Sick Pay Scheme as holiday pay is exempt from National Insurance Contributions for both the business and the employee. This saves the business on average 200 per year for each employee. As well as holiday pay, the scheme also provides sick pay which is payable in addition to any Statutory Sick Pay due to an employee. Providing good benefits for your staff is important and access to a secure Pension is vital. The plumbing industry operates its own Pension Scheme (career average) which currently has over 7000 contributing members and 6000 pensioners in receipt of pension payments. There are pension schemes for employees including company directors and also for the self-employed. The Industry Pension Scheme is one of the best schemes in the Construction Sector. There are no salesmen and no commission is paid on any contributions to the scheme. Plumbing Pensions is managed on behalf of the industry by industry representatives with the assistance of a team of professional advisors. See for more information.

5 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING Training the workforce of tomorrow is important to SNIPEF and the industry as a whole. For over 20 years, SNIPEF Training Services has managed the Plumbing Apprenticeship training programme in Scotland. Due to the requirements of Government funding, and the Jobskills programme, SNIPEF Training does not currently operate in Northern Ireland, however it is playing an increasingly greater role in apprentice training in Northern Ireland. When a SNIPEF Licensed Business recruits an apprentice in Scotland, SNIPEF Training Services offers the member the following assistance: Registration and enrolment of the apprentice onto the programme. Payment of all college fees for the three years the apprentice attends college. Regional Officer monitoring visits 4 times a year to review and appraise the apprentice's progress. A quarterly grant paid to you for the first two years of the training period. A final grant paid on successful completion of the college training. (This only applies to apprentices who were aged at enrolment.) Grants paid to SNIPEF Licensed Businesses are at least 25% higher than non SNIPEF Licensed members. SNIPEF Training employs a team of Regional Officers whose role is to monitor apprentices during their apprenticeship. All this is carried out with minimum interference to your business. We have also streamlined the paperwork requirements for employers and in addition, our excellent network of contacts with Local Enterprise Companies means that we can negotiate the best possible funding. In addition to monitoring and administering the apprentice training scheme, SNIPEF also offers grants for other types of training. SNIPEF has funded courses for gas safety, Water Byelaws and Water Regulations and most recently Health and Safety to allow employees employed by SNIPEF Licensed Businesses to meet the requirements of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS).

6 MEMBERSHIP To become a SNIPEF Licensed Business, you should complete and return the enclosed Application Form. If you have any questions about the application which are not covered by the Guidance Notes, contact the Membership Department at the SNIPEF Office on Once you meet the criteria to become a SNIPEF Licensed Business, you will be asked to pay your first annual subscription. The 2008 Membership Subscription Rates (subject to VAT) are: Entrance Fee Basic Subscription Per Capita Levy 65.00* *payable for each plumbing operative/labour-only sub-contractor up to a maximum of 50 operatives/labour-only sub-contractors Firms that operate the Industry Pension Scheme and the Industry Holiday and Sick Pay Scheme are eligible to receive a discount of 40% on the per capita levy element of the subscription. Your first membership fee is payable by cheque and thereafter by monthly direct debit. Your membership fee is tax deductible as a bona fide business expense and represents exceptional value. Often advice received concerning one problem can save your business several times your annual membership fee! You should submit a joining fee of 75 with your application. This sum will be deducted from your overall subscription fee when you become a member.

7 MEMBER BENEFITS SNIPEF (the ) is the trade association for plumbing and heating businesses who operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland. For over 80 years we have offered a wide range of services and schemes specifically designed for our members. From schemes designed to save your business money, such as our PL/EL insurance scheme, to our comprehensive advice service, we offer an unrivalled range of tailor-made services for members. Look at the benefits we offer our members. ENHANCED grant payments if you employ an apprentice via SNIPEF Training Services. EXCEPTIONAL RATES for our Public and Employers Liability insurance scheme. (A recent survey showed that members who used our scheme saved on average 800 per year). MEMBER businesses also become members of the Water Byelaws Approved Contractors scheme, which is recognised and supported by Scottish Water. FREE MEMBERSHIP of our subsidiary association for those firms who install unvented hot water systems. LISTING in our customer focused website and in our yearbook/ directory which is circulated to domestic and commercial customers. ACCESS to expert advice on technical, commercial, employment and health and safety issues. KEEP UP-TO-DATE with what s happening in the industry with our members magazine Plumb Heat. LOG IN and use our members only website which keeps you aware of changes to wage rates, holiday pay etc. The website also has a members forum. PENSION, holiday credit and sick pay schemes. HIRE PURCHASE at low interest and much, much more. Can you afford not to be a member?