CPA Weekly Notes – 15th May 2026

Issue No. 1201, 15th May 2026 FOR MEMBERS ONLY

Association Activities

CPA Webinar Recording now Available.
Thank you to all those that attended the CPA webinar for our Construction Industry Forecasts – Spring 2026. The webinar recording can be accessed on the CPA website here.

CPA Spring Lunch Pictures Now Available
The CPA Spring Lunch was held at the Hilton on Park Lane and was a great success. Thank you to all attendees and our sponsor Kilsaran for helping to make the day a great success. The pictures from the event are now available here.

Weekly CPA Meeting Calendar

Peter Caplehorn, CPA Chief Executive, will meet with the Construction Leadership Council and with Floodready.
Amanda Long, CPA Deputy CEO Will be attending a Ministerial Visit to Tata Steel with Building Safety Minister Samantha Dixon MBE MP. Additionally will meet OPSS officials on construction product regulation, co-chair an industry working group on the Construction Product Reforms White Paper and will chair the industry working group on Steel Tariffs and Quotas on behalf of CLC including convening a meeting with DBT Steel team.
Noble Francis, CPA Economics Director will be a presenting to the British Plastics Federation Online Seminar and also Construction Industry Council Policy Briefing
Rob Lee, CPA Senior External Affairs Manager, will be attending The Ministerial visit to Tata Steel.

Economics Update

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

CPA View on Middle East Conflict and Potential Effects (14 May 2026)
ONS Construction Output (March 2026)
NHBC UK House Building Registrations and Completions (2026 Q1)
RICS UK Residential Market Survey (April 2026)
Vistry Group Trading Update (May 2026)

The CPA’s Spring Forecasts were published on 5th May and can be found here.
The State of Trade Survey 2025 Q4 was published on 14th May and can be found here.rade Survey 2025 Q4 was published on Monday 9th February and can be found here.

Government Update

CPA Consultation Tracker
With an increasing number of consultations being launched by government, the CPA has launched a tracker with those consultations that are relevant to CPA membership. It can be found for members here.
New consultations will still be reported the Weekly Notes for a limited time.

Industry News

BBA/UKAS
Many members will be aware that for a number of months now UKAS has suspended BBA activities.
Information has been sparse despite us raising the issue with Government Departments at very high level. We understand this does not affect current certificates but does effectively stop recertification and any new work. We also understand that this is not a technical matter but procedural. It is now subject to the Accreditation Regulations 2009. When a dispute such as this arises, these regulations call for an independent board to adjudicate on the issue. We understand this is underway but it is unclear what progress has been made.
We are deeply concerned on several levels about the lack of information being provided concerning this issue, and any progress towards resolution.
We are also concerned that there seems to be little or no appreciation of the severe damage this is doing to the supply chain and the wider industry. We are working through a number of channels for answers, including with the CLC. We are also very concerned as to what plans are in place to manage and address the impact in the event that the suspension continues after the independent board has concluded.
We want to make clear we will continue to press for answers and action as well as acknowledgement of the damage this situation is causing at the highest level. In the meantime, if your business has been directly affected and can supply a factual account we want to pass this information on to Government and Ministers. Please email CPA Senior External Affairs Manager, Rob Lee here.

British standard on construction products competence published for public consultation
BS 8670-2 Built environment – Core criteria for construction product competence – Code of Practice has been published for public comment this week, closing 13 July. The standard aims to bring consistency across all how all disciplines working with construction products and product information throughout its life cycle. It does this by describing the core principals that should be included in all competence frameworks, training and qualifications. It also may impact how organisations delegate responsibilities with construction products in the organisations and their supply chain.
BS 8670-2 originates from the white paper that CPA published on behalf of WG 12 – Construction Products Competence – that has since been superseded by SLG 5 – Construction Products Manufacturers under the Industry Competence Steering Group, and has contributions from much of the CPA membership and colleagues across the Industry Competence Steering Group.
BS 8670-2 is available for comment here.

CPA in the News

Hormuz closure stalls construction projects as material costs soar
Noble Francis, economics director at the Construction Products Association, said some UK contractors had been warned of 10-30 per cent price increases over the next three months. The CPA is expecting an increase in contractor insolvencies over the next 12 months. Major price rises are already a reality in Japan. Yoshihide Kimura, chief executive of Toyama-based contractor Tomiso, said that emails and faxes poured in last month notifying him of “extraordinary” increases. PVC prices, for example, jumped as much as 70 per cent, he said. Kimura said his firm could not pass on the costs to customers, as they would need to renegotiate housing loans, and the uncertainty was causing customers to hold back. “Everyone feels stuck,” he said.
FT | 13/05/2026 | online

Guerra do Irã impacta construção civil e paralisa projetos em vários países
Noble Francis, diretor de economia da Construction Products Association (CPA), declarou que algumas empreiteiras britânicas foram alertadas sobre aumentos de preços de 10% a 30% nos próximos três meses. A CPA espera um aumento nas insolvências de empreiteiras nos próximos 12 meses.
Folha de S.Paulo | 13/05/2026 | online

UK housebuilders scale back as Iran war and interest rates mute demand
Noble Francis, economics director at trade body the Construction Products Association, said the sector had already experienced double-digit increases in the price of energy-intensive products and materials derived from oil. Francis said China would be a “big determinant” of costs, noting that one quarter of the UK’s light construction products such as electrics and ventilation were imported from the country, which is heavily dependent on Iranian oil. Such imports were likely to be hit by double-digit and triple-digit percentage increases in shipping costs, he warned
FT | 08/05/2026 | online

Construction activity expected to fall 2.5% in 2026 amid Iran war impact
The Iran war has led to a sharp revision in expectations for how the sector will perform this year, with overall output now forecast to fall by 2.5 per cent. In its spring forecast, the Construction Products Association (CPA) said.
Construction News | 05/05/2026 | online
Also in Tilezine, Roofing Today, Agg Net, TTJ, Master Builder, Building Design

Middle East conflict has helped increase prices by over 5% CLC’s materials group warns
Peter Caplehorn, chief executive of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the CLC’s materials group, admitted: “The impact of cost inflation on building materials has already been substantial.” It added: “Builders’ merchants reported that standard January price increases have added 2.2% to the cost of goods, and the annualised impact of Middle East- related increases to date has added a further 2.9%, taking the total increase to around 5.1%.”
Building | 29/04/2026 | online

Siderise CEO Adam Turk reappointed as Chair of Construction Products Association
Adam Turk of Siderise to lead trade body for third year. Adam Turk, the CEO of Siderise, will remain as Chair of the Construction Products Association (CPA) for a third consecutive year to assist the sector during a period of intense regulatory transition. The CPA confirmed the reappointment during its Spring Lunch on 23rd April.
IFSJ | 29/04/2026 | online
Also in Installer,

Tax Hikes Inhibit Growth Prospects, Materials Body Warns
Construction Products Association’s Head of Construction Research Rebecca Larkin said the tax burden had grown across the products sector and the wider construction industry.“Increases in business rates and NIC as well as the National Living Wage have particularly hit builders’ merchants and materials and product manufacturers – elements of the supply chain that have fixed premises and a directly-employed workforce,” she told Construction News. “Construction firms themselves will have been directly affected by NIC changes, fuel and red diesel changes and the Corporation Tax increase, along with the indirect hit of any passthrough from these other links earlier in the supply chain.”
Construction News | 15/04/2026 | online