survey – the state of housebuilding UK report 2026

Planning delays. Skills shortages. Margin pressure. Buyer confidence. Sound familiar? We want to know what’s actually driving and blocking housing delivery in 2026.

Which is why we’re asking the people who know best. Whether you’re on site, in the boardroom or advising from the outside, your perspective matters. Complete this short survey and we’ll share the findings, a candid, data-led view of the sector from those working in it every day.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Q1) Which best describes your role in the housebuilding sector?

• Volume housebuilder
• SME/ regional housebuilder
• Housing association / registered provider
• Consultant / contractor / professional services
• Local authority or public sector
• Other

Q2) How would you rate current trading conditions for housebuilders compared to 12 months ago?

Selected Value: 0

0 - Much worse 5- Much better

Q3) What are the biggest barriers to increasing housing delivery right now?

• Planning system capacity & speed
• Land availability & pricing
• Build cost inflation & margin pressure
• Shortage of skilled workforce
• Mortgage availability & buyer affordability
• Ecology / BNG / nutrient neutrality requirements
• Subdued consumer confidence

Q4) Do you think housebuilders are doing enough with the land and permissions they already hold?

• Yes - the delivery gap is genuinely about constraints, not land banking
• Partly - some are, some aren't
• No - the sector could be building more from its existing pipeline
• No opinion / not enough visibility to say

Q5) Which policy changes would make the biggest real-world difference to housing delivery?

• Stamp duty reform to stimulate buyer demand
• A new Help to Buy - style scheme for first time buyers
• Faster planning decisions with proper LPA resourcing
• Simplified BNG / nutrient neutrality rules
• Expanded government grant funding (e.g. SAHP)
• Mandatory local housing targets
• Mortgage guarantee schemes for buyers
• None of the above / policy is not the main problem

Q6) What is the single biggest friction point stopping ready buyers from completing a purchase?

• Mortgage affordability / stress-testing criteria
• Stamp duty costs
• General economic uncertainty / consumer confidence
• Difficulty selling their existing property
• Lack of awareness / understanding of available products
• New homes quality concerns

Q7) How well do you think the housebuilding sector has genuinely adapted its culture and practices in response to the Building Safety Act?

• Very well - real cultural change is underway across the sector
• Patchily - some businesses are leading, many are lagging
• Poorly - it's largely compliance on paper rather than genuine change
• Too early to judge

Q8) Where is the skills shortage most acute in your business or the business you work with?

• Planning & land
• Senior commercial / quantity surveying
• Technical / design
• Site management
• Sales & customer care
• Senior / board-level leadership
• HR & people functions
• We are not experiencing a significant skills shortage

Q9) When it comes to retaining talented people, what is the most important factor your organisation needs to address?

• Salaries that keep pace with the market
• Clearer career development & progression pathways
• Culture, leadership quality & day-to-day working environment
• Workload & capacity - people are stretched too thin
• Flexibility in working arrangements
• Long-term incentives (bonus, equity, LTIP)

Q10) How confident are you that your organisation has a credible succession plan for its most critical roles?

• Very confident - development plans in place
• Somewhat confident - worked on but gaps remain
• Not confident - we recognise the risk but haven't addressed it
• Not on our agenda yet
• Not applicable to my role

Q11) How prepared is your organisation for AI tools becoming standard in technical & commercial workflows over the next 3 years?

• Very prepared
• Somewhat prepared
• Not prepared
• Sceptical
• Not applicable to my role

12 important housebuilding

Q12) Looking ahead to the end of 2027, how do you expect the UK housebuilding market to have moved?

• Significantly stronger - real recovery underway
• Modestly improved - gradual progress
• Broadly flat - no material change
• Weaker - conditions will deteriorate further
• Too uncertain to call

Q13) Is there anything else you'd like to share about the challenges or opportunities you're seeing in the market right now?

Submit