CPA Weekly Notes – 30th January 2026

Issue No. 1186, 30th January 2026 FOR MEMBERS ONLY

Association Activities

CPA Webinar: Construction Industry Forecasts – Winter 2025/26 Edition – Recording now available.
The recording of the webinar for the Construction Industry Forecasts – Winter 2025/26 Edition, hosted by CPA’s Economics Director Professor Noble Francis, is now available to members for replay on our website. The webinar covered the UK economy this year, the latest construction data, new construction forecasts for the key sectors, and highlighted key risks to the economy. The recording can be accessed here.

Weekly Calendar of Meetings 

• Peter Caplehorn, CPA Chief Executive, will have a number of meetings with members this week; will meet with directors at the MHCLG, OPSS and Building Safety Regulator to discuss product issues; attend a meeting of the GS1 UK Construction Group to discuss adoption of GS1 standards in construction; attend a meeting of the National Retrofit Hub’s Advisory Panel to share initial responses to the Warm Homes Plan; chair a regular meeting of the CLC’s Standards and Regulatory Alignment Group; and join a regular meeting of the Construction Leadership Council’s Task Force.
• Jeff May, CPA Deputy Chief Executive, will represent CPA members at a meeting of Make UK’s Affiliates and join a regular meeting of the Construction Leadership Council.
• Mark Wilkinson, CPA Senior Technical Manager, will host a regular meeting of the CLC’s Standards and Regulatory Alignment Group.
• Jane Thornback will Co-Chair a meeting of the Green Construction Board’s Circular Economy and Resource efficiency Group and will attend the Advisory Board meeting of the Innovate funded Network on the role of Life Cycle Assessment in Regulatory Science.
• Hanna Clarke, Digital and Policy Manager, will have a variety of meetings with industry colleagues and civil servants around both competence and digitalisation of product information.

Economics Update

CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update can be found here it includes:

• RICS UK Commercial Property Monitor (2025 Q4)
• The CPA Forecasts and Government’s House Building Target (Winter 2025)
• HMRC UK Residential Property Transactions (December 2025)

The CPA’s Winter Forecasts were published on Monday 26 January and can be found here.

Government Update

Building Safety Regulator Re-Launched as Standalone Organisation
This week, the Building Safety Regulator officially moved from the Health and Safety Executive to a standalone organisation under the sponsorship of MHCLG. This paves the way for the creation of a single construction regulator. As a new organisation, the BSR will work towards establishing a single regulator by promoting competence and higher standards.
This move is underpinned by a significant operational reset in the BSR’s role as the building control authority for higher-risk buildings. It must be noted that the BSR’s mandate extends far beyond high-rise oversight to a broader responsibility for safety and standards for all buildings across England.
The CPA is currently the Plan and will offer an initial response in the coming week. 

Warm Homes Plan Launched 
The government has launched a £15 billion Warm Homes Plan to upgrade up to five million homes by 2030, focusing on insulation, solar PV, batteries and heat pumps to reduce energy bills and improve energy efficiency. The programme targets low-income households with fully funded retrofit packages, while also offering low- and zero-interest loans for homeowners and new protections and standards for rented and social housing.

The plan aims to lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty and reverse long-term declines in insulation rates. It includes requirements for new homes to include solar panels as standard from 2026 and introduces a £7,500 heat pump grant. Delivery will be supported by a new Warm Homes Agency and devolved funding across the UK, with the programme expected to create significant demand for retrofit, clean heating and energy efficiency work across the sector. The plan can be accessed in full here.

The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus
The Single Construction Regulator (SCR) Prospectus has now been published by the HSE. This marks a significant milestone in reform of the built environment, following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations.  The prospectus sets out our vision for a coherent, accountable regulatory system that prioritises safety, quality, and trust across buildings, products, and professions. It outlines how a new regulator will consolidate oversight functions, reduce fragmentation, and drive cultural change across the sector. You can read the full prospectus here. The CPA technical committee will lead our response to this publication.

Industry News

The Built Environment Competence Hub is now live
The Built Environment Competence Hub, managed by BSI and developed in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is designed to bring industry together in a central space to strengthen competence across the UK built environment. Join the hub today to attend a virtual launch event on the 27th of January. Register for the hub here.

Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London to Unite in 2026 
In a landmark move for the UK construction sector, UK Construction Week London and Futurebuild will come together from 12–14 May 2026, creating a new national platform for the built environment at Excel London. The collaborative co-location will form the UK’s Built Environment super event, designed to reflect the full scale, complexity and ambition of an industry facing unprecedented change. The events are hoped to bring 25,000 built environment professionals, 600+ exhibitors and 700+ speakers across 14 dedicated stages under one roof – making it the largest and most comprehensive construction event in the UK calendar. The CPA will continue to support these events.

CPA in the News

Construction Leadership Council’s materials group admits market looks ‘bleak’ at moment
Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Material Supply Chain Group. The first report of the year from the CLC’s Material Supply Chain Group is notable for its bleak assessment of market prospects without urgent action to stimulate demand.
Building | 29/01/2026 | online
also in BuildNews, Specification Online, Roofing Today, Tilezine

CPA finds construction growth held back by uncertainty
According to the CPA’s latest forecasts, overall construction output is expected to rise by just 1.7% in 2026, a significant downgrade from the 2.8% growth forecast in October.
Builders Merchant News | 26/01/2026 | online
also in Professional Merchants News, Project Scotland, PBC Today, Fix Radio, Construction News

Tender prices rise 2.5% in a year
Construction Products Association economics director Noble Francis pointed out that brick deliveries between January and November 2025 only managed to climb 6.2 per cent higher than the figure for 2024 and were 25 per cent lower than in 2022. They were also lower than in 2020, when most housebuilding shut down for a period due to the Covid pandemic. “This is very disappointing, as back in summer 2024, we would have expected double-digit growth in starts and high single-digit growth in completions in 2025 and 2026, from a low base,” he said.
Construction News | 15/01/2026 | online

UK Construction Industry Poised for 3-4.5% Growth in 2026, But Critical Workforce Shortage Threatens Recovery
The report from the UK Construction Blog, which synthesises forecasts from leading industry bodies including the Construction Products Association…
Today in Business | 08/01/2026 | online
This story has achieved widespread regional coverage across the US.

What will happen in the built environment in 2026? What the Construction Products Reform White Paper means for manufacturers 
The transition of the Construction Products Reform Green Paper into a formal white paper will mark a decisive shift from consultation to commitment, with expected significant implications for construction product manufacturers. While the green paper set out options and invited industry feedback, the white paper will signal government’s settled policy direction and intent to legislate…
RIBA | 08/01/2026 | online