Five-year slump in construction activity is a wakeup call

August 6, 2025

The steepest fall in construction activity since May 2020 is a serious a wakeup call that government announcements on construction have yet to be delivered, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to July’s S&P Global UK Construction PMI data

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB commented:

“The sharp downturn in construction activity undermines the Government’s stated ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes and upgrade a further five million homes. Positive government policy reforms to speed up the planning system; introduce greater borrowing flexibility; and upskill the workforce are failing to unlock the much‑needed momentum to drive economic growth. Delivery is key which is why July’s plunge should be setting alarm bells ringing across both industry and government.”

Berry continued: “To get Britain building again consumers need greater confidence in the economy. Small building companies are very reliant on consumer confidence which is why the prospect of further tax increases is such a concern. The proposed planning reforms announced in May need to be given absolute priority with a focus on fast‑track approvals for sites of up to nine houses to help small building companies deliver the homes Britain needs.”

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Property sitting on the market? Experts reveal top tips to unlocking property sales

Many homeowners understand the frustration of properties sitting on the market for extended periods of time with no sale on the horizon. Leading estate agency group, Beresfords, has released advice to help sellers take control of their sales journey. With the average time from initial marketing through to a successfully agreed offer now standing at…
Read More →
LIVING BY THE SEASIDE 2022
Breaking News

Demand for Coastal Living Remains Remarkably Resilient

Coastal house prices fall by as much as 38%, but seaside hotspots still command premiums of up to 76%   The latest research by Yopa has revealed that house prices across some of the nation’s most popular seaside hotspots have fallen by as much as -38% over the last year. However, many continue to command…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Buyer demand bounces back after May heatwave

New real-time analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals that buyer demand has bounced back after a temporary dip due to the May heatwave during the school holidays Starting on May 22nd, buyer demand dropped by 8% over the course of the heatwave week, as potential buyers held off from booking viewings to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 11/6/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Leasing decisioning platform set to scale with new injection of investment Findigs, the AI-native leasing decisioning platform that helps residential operators across the U.S. improve revenue and grow their bottom line, announced that it closed a $32 million Series C funding round led by…
Read More →
Breaking News

Cost of void periods climbs by as much as 53% for landlords

Landlords face growing pressure on profits as the cost of void periods climbs by as much as 53%.   The latest research by property management specialist, Rushbrook & Rathbone, has found that the average cost to landlords as a result of void periods between tenancies has climbed by as much as 52.9% across some areas…
Read More →
Breaking News

Lack of Supply Keeps Upward Pressure on Rents

More ‘affordable’ areas see rents rise two times faster than the national average    Rents are rising 5% on average in more affordable areas where rents are below £750pcm – over twice the national average of 2.1% Regionally, Carlisle (+9.1%), Kilmarnock (+9%) and Halifax (+6.5%) are among the fastest-rising markets where rents are rising quickly…
Read More →