CPA Weekly Notes – 21st November 2025

Issue No. 1178, 21st November 2025 FOR MEMBERS ONLY

Association Activities

CPA Autumn Lunch 2025 raises £6846 for CRASH
The sold out event at the Brewery in the City of London last week was heralded a great success by CPA Deputy CEO Jeff May. The event brought together 500 people from Industry to hear speeches from CPA Chairman Adam Turk, CPA Deputy CEO Jeff May and world record sprinter Colin Jackson CBE. The event also supported CRASH by raising over £6846 to help homelessness charities and hospices with vital construction projects. Pictures of the event will be sent to attendees.

CPA Autumn Budget Letter to Chancellor and Call for New Build Housing Sector Support
With the Autumn Budget scheduled for 26 November, the CPA wrote to the Chancellor recommending a number of key actions that the government could take to support our sector and the wider UK construction industry. These include infrastructure delivery and procurement; investment, taxation and productivity measures; funding for the relevant regulators and enforcement bodies in the sector; and support for Repair, Maintenance and Improvement.
Critically, following publication this week of our Autumn Forecasts and feedback from our members, we have followed that letter with a press release publicly urging government to support the new build private housing sector. This would take the form of a time-limited stimulus for house building demand – particularly for first-time buyers – that we believe is necessary to avoid the likelihood of worsening job losses, skills shortages and manufacturing capacity unless this government acts to stimulate growth in this essential sector.
We are pushing all these messages through our various channels. Furthermore, we want you to know that since the spring when we first saw evidence of a waning recovery, we have taken every opportunity with ministers, MP’s and civil servants to flag the ‘headwinds’ facing our industry; e.g., rising NMW and Employer NI contributions, high energy prices, tariffs and taxes (such as EPR, Landfill Tax and the Boiler Tax), continued costs from Brexit such as CE/CA, UK REACH and non-tariff barriers, and of course the general economic malaise that has dragged on consumer and investor sentiment.
We will continue to press home these points before and after the Budget and would appreciate your feedback and any supporting arguments / evidence.

CPA Weekly Calendar of Meetings

Jeff May, CPA Deputy Chief Executive, will represent CPA members at the weekly Construction Leadership Council meeting.
Mark Wilkinson, CPA Senior Technical Manager, will attend a meeting of BSI’s CB/3 committee (CB/3 is responsible for reviewing market demands and regulatory drivers for with the safe, compliant, and efficient use of construction products); and chair a meeting of the CLC’s Standards & Regulatory Alignment Group.
Jane Thornback, CPA Sustainability Policy Advisor, will attend a RetroNetZero Commercial Retrofit Roundtable as well as a meeting of the CLC’s Green Construction Board.
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.
Rob Lee, CPA Senior External Affairs Manager will be attending the annual CBI conference in Westminster.

Economics Update

CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here including:

ONS UK CPI Inflation (October 2025)
Insolvency Service Construction Insolvencies (September 2025)
MHCLG Net Additional Dwellings in England (2024/25)
Crest Nicholson Trading Statement (November 2025)

There will be a Weekly Notes Special on the Budget on the 26th November.
The CPA’s Autumn forecasts were published on Monday, 27 October, and are available from the CPA Website, whilst its Winter forecasts will be published on Monday 26th January 2026.

Government Update

BSR Seek New Chair for Building Advisory Committee
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is seeking an independent Chair for its Building Advisory Committee (BAC). They would like your help in advertising the role and ask if you can share among your members and networks. The successful candidate will demonstrate proven leadership to drive the BAC, which advises BSR on building functions, focusing on:

emerging issues
industry trends
engagement to inspire change

The BAC operates via a high-level steering group and dedicated subgroups. This is an ongoing fixed-term appointment for up to three years. Applications close midday on Monday 5 January 2026. Applications can be made here.

Government Increases Discount for Energy Intensive Manufacturers
CPA is pleased that government plans to increase the discount on electricity network charges for businesses in sectors including CPA members like steel, cement, glass, and chemicals from 60 percent to 90 percent. Around 500 of the UK’s most energy-intensive businesses are set to save on their electricity bills from next April. The increased discount under the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) Scheme will bring down electricity bills for businesses by cutting the prices they pay to access the UK’s electricity network. Some of these businesses currently pay the highest industrial electricity prices in the G7, making it harder to stay competitive on the international stage. To learn more, click here.

MHCLG have published further information regarding launching the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026 to 2036.
The Government have confirmed a number of programme details that providers have told them will be key to effective delivery. The whole document can be found here. It includes:

The Government will also make available £2.5bn of low-interest loans to support the delivery of new social and affordable housing. These will be open to private registered providers, and a substantial allocation of the loans will be targeted at London in light of the acute challenges facing PRPs in the capital.
The Government have allocated £5.5m in new funding through the Council Housebuilding Support Fund to help councils develop bids to the SAHP.
Strategic Partnerships (SP) can offer long-term, multi-year funding agreements with some larger providers to support scale, innovation, and delivery of a pipeline of affordable homes, with enhanced reporting and alignment to national priorities.
Continuous Market Engagement (CME) is a rolling, flexible route for providers to bid for funding on a scheme-by-scheme basis, assessed on value for money, deliverability, and local need – ideal for smaller or one-off developments. Following engagement with the sector, we have also implemented a new CME ‘portfolio’ approach, which contains some features of Strategic Partnership working by enabling smaller portfolios of schemes through the CME route.

The Ministry of Defence has published the Defence Housing Strategy.
The whole document can be found here. Key recommendations:

New military housing standards for renewing and acquiring Defence homes.
10-year renewal, with around 40,000 military homes modernised or upgraded.
Modern property standards comparable to high-quality civilian landlords.
Thousands of military homes to receive a complete makeover – new kitchens, bathrooms and heating systems.
Work on 1,000 worst-quality homes underway immediately.

Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper and Consultation
Government has published its Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper that sets out its ambition for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level training by age 25, whether through universities, colleges, or apprenticeships.

Post-16 Level 3 and Below Pathways Consultation
In addition to the White Paper, the Department for Education is seeking feedback on the planned design and implementation of the new pathways for 16-19-year-olds in their consultation: Post-16 level 3 and below pathways – GOV.UK. This specifically covers:

A third, vocational pathway at level 3 creating V Level qualifications. V Levels will sit alongside A levels and T Levels and will offer a vocational alternative to these academic and technical routes.
Two new pathways at level 2 simplifying the current offer and providing a clear line of sight to further study at level 3 and skilled employment through the Further Study pathway and Occupational pathway. The consultation closes on 12 January 2026.

Government Sends Out EPR Bills
These first-year invoices, based on 2024 packaging data submitted by producers, will cover recycling and disposal costs for the assessment year April 2025 to March 2026.
Guidance has been published here to help producers prepare and government have also launched a Customer Service Desk to support with questions: eprcustomerservice@defra.gov.uk The helpdesk is open Monday to Friday 8am to 4.30pm.

Review published setting new course for mainstreaming property flood resilience
The CPA have contributed to the FloodReady Review and Action Plan that provides recommendations and practical steps to improve the take up of property flood resilience (PFR) measures. The Review, led by Professor Peter Bonfield, brought together leaders from across various sectors who all have an important role in improving the PFR uptake.
Property flood resilience measures – such as flood doors, non-return valves and air bricks – can help to keep as much water out of a property as possible. They also include measures like tiled floors and raised electrics, so if water does enter, it minimises damage and helps people get back on their feet quicker. The use of Sustainable Drainage Systems at property level, for example permeable paving and rain gardens, can also reduce the risk of surface water flooding.

Government consultation on water efficiency requirements in building regulations
Government is proposing a plan to strengthen Water Efficiency Standards in the Building Regulations 2010, Part G, to require tighter standards in new homes. It also seeks more information on enabling water reuse systems in new developments to enable even greater water efficiency in homes. The deadline is 16 December. Find the documents here Water Efficiency Standards: a review of Building Regulations 2010 Part G2 – GOV.UK

Industry News

The Built Environment Competence Hub
The Hub, developed by BSI in collaboration with Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG), is almost ready to launch and is open for people to register ahead of the official start date in the new year. Launching in January 2026, the hub is a central space for professionals to access the latest competence frameworks, standards and practical guidance—all in one trusted location.
The Hub is designed for all those working in the built environment sector, including designers, contractors, regulators and anyone involved in competence development or oversight. It brings together the work of all the ICSG Sector Led Groups and provides curated tools, resources and insights from ICSG, BSI and wider stakeholders of competence. You can register at the Hub here.

CPA in the News

UK government’s housebuilding target under threat as councils face exodus of planners
The Construction Products Association, a trade body, said employment in the construction industry was expected to fall further over the next 12 months. It said this was because of the subdued level of demand for housebuilding, the rise in employers’ national insurance contributions as well as a high degree of uncertainty for businesses in the lead-up to the Budget. Noble Francis, economics director of the CPA, said: “Building what we built even just a few years ago is going to be very difficult, never mind the government’s fanciful targets over the next five years, despite its moves to ease planning.”
The FT | 19/11/2025 | Online

Brick Deliveries up in September
Month-on-month Brick deliveries surged by 12% in September, according to an analysis by Noble Francis, the economics director at the Construction Products Association. Although brick deliveries were up 4.4% on last year, they are still 21% lower than the 2018-19 average, and nearly a third down on the post-pandemic peak in 2022.House builders continue to report subdued demand and unit sales have slowed sharply since March.
Fix Radio | 19/11/2025 | Online

Construction employment sinks to 24-year low
Noble Francis, economics director at the Construction Products Association, said the slowdown in house building since April and the rise in employers’ National Insurance Contributions had hit confidence and hiring. He warned: “The longer employment remains at these historically low levels, the greater the permanent loss of skills and experience. Even getting back to 2019’s house building levels will be incredibly difficult, never mind meeting the government’s targets.”
Construction Enquirer | 27/10/2025 | Online

Slow Growth, Clear Opportunities
The economic outlook for UK construction may be subdued, but there are reasons for cautious optimism – that was the key takeaway from Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association (CPA), speaking at the Council for Aluminium in Building’s (CAB) 31st Annual General Meeting, held at Stratford’s Crowne Plaza on 23rd October.
Glass News | 11/11/2025 | Online

House of Commons – Business and Trade Questions
Gareth Davies, Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade said: “The Construction Products Association has just cut its growth forecast for the sector to barely 1% next year, warning that the uncertainty over new taxes is choking investment. I will ask the Minister again: how on earth will adding #28,000 to the cost of a new home, or 25% to road construction costs, through a new builders tax do anything other than cement the slowdown that Labour is overseeing in our economy? To stand up and raise uncertainty, and then complain about it, is quite something”.
BBC Parliament | 3/11/2025 | Online