Lighthouse Charity urges construction workers to talk money and prepare for Making Tax Digital

Lighthouse Charity has launched its Talk Money Week 2026 campaign, urging construction workers to set weekly spending limits and prepare for Making Tax Digital, and offering emergency food shops and help with rent and mortgage payments to those in difficulty.

The campaign runs under the slogan 'It All Counts'. It asks workers to check their bank balances regularly, put a little aside each week for emergencies, plan meals before shopping and agree Christmas spending limits with family.

In return, the charity said it can offer budgeting advice, help people access financial support, deliver emergency food shops to those struggling financially and support mortgage and rent payments where workers cannot meet them.

Making Tax Digital

The campaign singles out Making Tax Digital as one of the biggest changes facing finances in construction. The charity said that for many self-employed workers and subcontractors it will change how tax records are kept and submitted, and it has published a guide and a training course on the subject.

The charity's guide describes Making Tax Digital as a government initiative and legal requirement under which those in scope must send quarterly updates to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) with strict deadlines. It says the rules apply where annual income from self-employment, including Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) work, or property is likely to be £50,000 or over, falling to £30,000 by 2027 and £20,000 by 2028.

HMRC's own guidance sets out the timetable in more detail. It says the rules apply to sole traders and landlords registered for Self Assessment whose qualifying income is above the relevant threshold, with each threshold tied to a specific tax year.

Qualifying income above	Tax year assessed	Start date
£50,000	2024 to 2025	6 April 2026
£30,000	2025 to 2026	6 April 2027
£20,000	2026 to 2027	6 April 2028

According to HMRC, those above £50,000 in the 2024 to 2025 tax year should already have started using the system from 6 April 2026.

The charity's Wellbeing Academy offers a free eLearning course, 'Making Tax Digital for Construction Workers', which takes 10 to 15 minutes. It also runs two further free financial courses, 'Budgeting for Real Life' and 'Borrowing and Debt: Staying in Control', each lasting 15 to 20 minutes. The charity said the courses give practical guidance to help people improve their financial wellbeing and make informed decisions.

Christmas pressure

The campaign page cites polling by StepChange Debt Charity on the cost of Christmas. StepChange's own release, published on 1 December 2025, said more than one in four British adults (27%), about 14.3 million people, would struggle to afford Christmas, and that one in twelve (8%), about four million people, would rely on credit to get through it. The YouGov poll surveyed 2,070 adults on 17 and 18 November 2025.

Vikki Brownridge, CEO at StepChange Debt Charity, said: "Your loved ones value your presence far more than presents that put you under financial strain."

Lighthouse Charity said starting early gives workers more time to spread costs and set realistic expectations, and it advised against borrowing more than can comfortably be repaid. It has also made downloadable 'Talk Money Week' assets available, including graphics and social media copy.

Demand for support

The campaign comes as the charity reports rising demand. Its appeal page says it has supported 51% more people this year than in 2025, that its counsellors have held 7,429 conversations, and that it had spent £4.3m (€5m) on charitable support up to July alone. The appeal is seeking a minimum of £200,000 (€233,000).

Lighthouse Charity has delivered support to the construction community since 1956 and describes its role as providing 24/7 holistic support to the UK and Ireland construction community. Its services are free and confidential and extend to workers' families.

The 24/7 helpline is 0345 605 1956 in the UK and 1800 939 122 in the Republic of Ireland. A one-to-one online chat with helpline advisers, available in more than 100 languages, runs Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm.