Retention Period 2021: Register of Architects 2022

Register of Architects: 2022

The Architects Register is the definitive record of all UK architects. Every year the Architects Registration Board sets an annual retention fee. All architects must be notified of the fee level in writing 60 days before the fee period closes. ARB is required by law to remove architects from the Register as soon as the deadline closes if they have not paid the fee. We will also remove architects who have chosen to resign from the Register. Architects can re-join the Register by paying their retention fee and additional fees set by the Board. We send reminders to architects throughout the retention fee period, to help prevent architects having to re-join and pay the additional fee. During the 2021 period, six reminder emails and SMS texts were sent. The deadline for paying the fee was 31 December 2021. We sent a final reminder in the new year and extended the payment deadline to midday on 7 January, to account for the impact Covid may have had on registrants. Architects were removed for non-payment on 10 January 2022.

Register of Architects in January 2022

• On 10 January 2022, at the end of the retention fee period and following resignations and removals for non-payment, the Register included 42,170 architects. This is 170 fewer architects than the previous year.
• As of 23 February 2022, there were 42,709 architects on the Register. Of these 539 additions from 10 January 2022, 395 were re-joins, and 144 were new or first time joiners.

Resignations 2021

Architects who joined through the EU route account for less than 10% of the Register but 20% of resignations. Whilst we record nationality on the Register, this does not indicate someone’s route to registration i.e. it does not indicate the country in which they reside or trained. The data here therefore shows whether architects joined through a UK, EU or international route.

• There were 831 resignations from the Register at the end of the 2021 retention fee period.
• 66% of resignations in 2021 were from architects at or around retirement age.
• 15% of resignations were from architects who have been on the Register for under 5 years.

Reasons for Resignation 2021

• 25% of architects aged 31-40 are no longer working in architecture, and 46% are not in the UK (136 architects aged 31-40 resigned)
• 72% of architects aged 61 and over cited retirement as their reason for resignation (539 architects)

In 2021 we communicated explicit guidance for retired architects, to make them aware they did not have to stay on the Register unless they were working.

Removal for non-payment 2021

Removals for non-payment differ from resignations. We haven’t heard from the architect so we have no data about why they have not paid.

• There were 1,331 removals from the Register at the end of the 2021 retention fee period.
• 453 (34%) of architects removed from the Register joined through the EU route. Perhaps they no longer require UK registration, possibly having left the country.
• 288 (22%) of architects removed from the Register were at or around retirement age. Perhaps they let their Registration lapse deliberately.