CPA Weekly Notes – 9th January 2026

Issue No. 1183, 9th January 2026 FOR MEMBERS ONLY

Association Activities

CPA Manager to Chair BSI Committee
Mark Wilkinson, CPA Senior Technical Manager has been appointed as the chair of the CB/3 – Regulation and Standards for Construction Products committee. The Committee is responsible for reviewing market demands and regulatory drivers for the safe, compliant, and efficient use of construction products. The committee examines the interaction between the Building Safety Act, UK Construction Products Regulations, and EU Construction Products Regulation, seeking alignment with safety standards to enable the free movement of construction products within the EU single market. Congratulations Mark!

Weekly Calendar of Meetings 

• Peter Caplehorn, CPA Chief Executive, will meet with the UK Government’s interim Chief Construction Adviser; will meet with directors at the MHCLG, OPSS and Building Safety Regulator to discuss product issues; will attend an Energy and Infrastructure reception hosted by the Institution of Civil Engineers and joined by Construction Minister, Chris McDonald MP, Chris Walters, interim CEO of Ofwat, and GMB General Secretary, Gary Smith; and join a regular meeting of the Construction Leadership Council’s Task Force.
• Jeff May, CPA Deputy Chief Executive, will join a regular meeting of the Construction Leadership Council.
• Rob Lee, CPA Senior External Affairs Manager, will attend a series of meetings in Cardiff with the political parties in the Senedd ahead of the elections to the Welsh Parliament in the Spring.
• Mark Wilkinson, CPA Senior Technical Manager, will attend a Future Homes Hub working group meeting about fabric solutions.
• Jane Thornback, CPA Sustainability Policy Advisor, will join a meeting of the CLC Green Construction Board Resources, Waste and Circular Economy Group.
• 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:

• ONS UK CPI Inflation (November 2025)
• S&P Global UK Construction PMI (December 2025)
• ONS UK Construction Wage Inflation (October 2025)
• Insolvency Service Construction Insolvencies (October 2025)
• HMRC UK Residential Property Transactions (November 2025)
• Bank of England UK Mortgage Approvals (November 2025)
• Nationwide UK House Price Index (December 2025) 

The CPA’s State of Trade Survey for Q4 is now open for members to report on the state of trade in your materials or products sub-sector during the October-December period of 2025. The deadline is the end of Wednesday 14 January and we would encourage you to respond so that we can present a comprehensive view of our industry’s near-term performance. The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPASurvey25Q4. All responses are kept strictly confidential and results will be presented on an aggregate basis only.

The CPA’s Winter forecasts will be published on Monday 26 January. The Autumn Forecasts were published on Monday 27th October and can be found here.

Government Update

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.

Building Safety Newsletter
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is launching a new Building Safety Newsletter in the coming weeks. You can sign up to the newsletter here. 

Building Safety Regulator E-Bulletin 
The latest ebulletin from the regulator has been published with the following items included:

• Building control staged applications – updated guidance published.
• Criteria for validating, approving or rejecting building control applications.

Also updates from the government on the following: Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Government’s third progress report, The Single Construction Regulator prospectus and consultation, the BSR’s review of the higher-risk building definition, Fire engineering authoritative statement and next steps document. The E-Bulletin can be accessed here.

Building Safety Regulator – Ministerial Statement 
The BSR has attracted some recent attention in parliament, including a Ministerial statement and in committees links to the statements, debates and committees can be found below.
Written Ministerial Statement 
Grand Committee
House of Lords Debate

Warm Homes plan and Future Home Standards delayed
The UK Government has confirmed that its Warm Homes plan to improve the energy efficiency of hundreds of thousands of low-income households will not be published until January. The Warm Homes Plan was first announced last winter by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. The intention was for the full plan to be set out in late 2025, with many commentators hoping that it would accompany November’s Budget announcement. The Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (DESNZ) has now confirmed that it expects to publish the Plan in January. It stated that the overall budget will remain the same, as will the grant level available under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Regarding the Future Homes Standard, the CPA’s understanding is that it will not be published before the Warm Homes Plan; however, this has not been publicly confirmed by the government. The CPA will keep you updated as information becomes available.

Extended Producer Responsibility on packaging (pEPR)
PACKUK has issued illustrative disposal fees for Year 2 (2026-27) for Extended Producer Responsibility on packaging (pEPR).  The EPR scheme seeks to make those who put packaging on the market responsible for its entire lifecycle, ensuring that product design incorporates considerations for disposal and recycling.  Find details here.ing 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.

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

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

Fix Radio reveals its predictions for 2026
The Construction Products Association (CPA) has forecasted total construction output growth of 2.8% in 2026, with infrastructure expected to rise by 4.4% and private housing by around four per cent.
Fix Radio | 08/01/2026 | online

Builders aren’t building – and that’s a major worry for the economy
To find out what is happening I turned to Professor Noble Francis, economics director at the Construction Products Association, and Rebecca Larkin, its head of construction research. How bleak a midwinter is this for construction? 
Sunday Times | 20/12/2025 | Print

New research reveals the hidden costs of the Building Safety Act – as architects demand greater product transparency
“This will enable them to build for what’s next – with a focus on innovation without compromising on safety.” The Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), initiated by the Construction Products Association (CPA), sets clear standards for how manufacturers record, verify, and communicate product data. The consensus is that its framework could ultimately become the long-sought single source of truth for compliant product information.
Architects Data File | 4/12/2025 | Online