Total house building activity in June 2025 was 0.8% higher than in May (after May's 1.0% fall) & 2.7% higher than a low base a year ago but still 17.5% lower than the recent peak in October 2022, according to the ONS. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

Total house building activity in June 2025 was 0.8% higher than in May (after May's 1.0% fall) & 2.7% higher than a low base a year ago but still 17.5% lower than the recent peak in October 2022, according to the ONS. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

There were 2.08 people employed in UK construction in 2025 Q2, which is 2.9% lower than in 2025 Q1 & only 0.6% higher than the low base a year ago, according to the ONS. (1/n) #ukconstruction #ukhousing

There were 2.08 people employed in UK construction in 2025 Q2, which is 2.9% lower than in 2025 Q1 & only 0.6% higher than the low base a year ago, according to the ONS. (1/n) #ukconstruction #ukhousing

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly starts data. Deliveries in June 2025 were 1.0% lower than in May & 16.3% higher than a low base a year ago according to the Deparment for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing

The number of new house building registrations in the UK in 2025 Q2 was 4% higher than a low base a year ago according to NHBC (which covers around 70% of the house building sector) but... (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

What is the point of owning a mansion in Mayfair? London’s luxury property market has bigger problems than the ‘exodus’ of wealthy non-doms My latest article for the FT: on.ft.com/4lTCOBf

House building activity in May 2025 was 1.3% lower than in April, only 0.6% higher than a low base a year ago & it was still 19.1% lower than it was at the recent peak in October 2022 years ago according to the latest ONS construction output data. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

House building activity in May 2025 was 1.3% lower than in April, only 0.6% higher than a low base a year ago & it was still 19.1% lower than it was at the recent peak in October 2022 years ago according to the latest ONS construction output data. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in May 2025 were 10.6% higher than in April & 15.3% higher than a year ago according to the Deparment for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in May 2025 were 10.6% higher than in April & 15.3% higher than a year ago according to the Deparment for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing

House building activity in April 2025 was 0.9% higher than in March & 5.7% higher than a low base a year ago but it was still 17.1% lower than it was 3 years ago according to the latest ONS construction output data this morning. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

you will have read that Labour is doubling investment in social housing in the long term this is true if 1) you compare it to the Tories and 2) if Labour win the next general election but new allocations for next 3 years are *lower* than this year www.ft.com/content/92a1...

Agree LAs and HAs are focused on existing stock but also understand quality of S106 homes by house builders is why some HAs don’t want to buy them. HAs focused on long term quality for their residents inc low energy bills. Private sector S106 homes not all delivering that.

House building activity in April 2025 was 0.9% higher than in March & 5.7% higher than a low base a year ago but it was still 17.1% lower than it was 3 years ago according to the latest ONS construction output data this morning. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

Review of "Green Book" looks designed to favour investment in particular areas rather than where economic return is greatest. Good news for North and Midlands. Bad news for London and South East.

The Chancellor repeats the leaked announcment of £39 billion for the Affordable Homes Programme 2026-36 but doesn't say how many new homes (& especially how many social homes rather than so-called 'affordable' homes) that will provide. #SpendingReview

There's not much point commenting until we get the full detail on the government's leaked announcement of an average of £3.9 billion per year over 10 years for Affordable Homes Programme 2026-36 in the Spending Review but it is worth noting that... (1/n) #ukhousing

There's not much point commenting until we get the full detail on the government's leaked announcement of an average of £3.9 billion per year over 10 years for Affordable Homes Programme 2026-36 in the Spending Review but it is worth noting that... (1/n) #ukhousing

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in April 2025 were +0.2% higher than in March & 1.8% higher than a year ago according to the Deparment for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in April 2025 were +0.2% higher than in March & 1.8% higher than a year ago according to the Deparment for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing

There were 60,463 mortgage approvals in the UK in April 2025, according to the Bank of England, which was 4.9% lower than in March & 2.1% lower than a year ago. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

There were 60,463 mortgage approvals in the UK in April 2025, according to the Bank of England, which was 4.9% lower than in March & 2.1% lower than a year ago. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

As expected after the stamp duty changes on 1 April, UK residential property transactions in April 2025 were 63.5% lower than in March 2025 & 28.0% lower than a year ago, according to HMRC. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

As expected after the stamp duty changes on 1 April, UK residential property transactions in April 2025 were 63.5% lower than in March 2025 & 28.0% lower than a year ago, according to HMRC. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

Government just keeps adding yet more costs onto house builders that will just increase house prices further at a time when the key problem for house builders is affordability (enabling demand given high deposits & high mortgage rates). (1/n) #ukhousing www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

4,111 construction firms went out of business in the year to March 2025, according to the government's Insolvency Service, 1.5% higher than in the year to February but 4.3% lower than a year ago. (1/n) #ukconstruction #ukhousing

The rise in construction insolvencies in March 2025 was only small but it follows on from the gradual falls in insolvencies in 2024 H2 from the peak in 2024 H1, then insolvencies in the year to January as flat & rising in the year to February. (2/n) #ukconstruction #ukhousing

4,111 construction firms went out of business in the year to March 2025, according to the government's Insolvency Service, 1.5% higher than in the year to February but 4.3% lower than a year ago. (1/n) #ukconstruction #ukhousing

Total house building output in March 2025 was 1.1% higher than in February but broadly flat (+0.1%) compared with a year ago, according to the latest ONS construction output data this morning. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

Total house building output in March 2025 was 1.1% higher than in February but broadly flat (+0.1%) compared with a year ago, according to the latest ONS construction output data this morning. (1/n) #ukhousing #housing

UK construction total pay (including bonuses) in the year to March 2025 was 9.4% higher than a year earlier and regular pay (excluding bonuses) was 5.9% higher than a year ago, according the ONS. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

UK construction total pay (including bonuses) in the year to March 2025 was 9.4% higher than a year earlier and regular pay (excluding bonuses) was 5.9% higher than a year ago, according the ONS. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in March 2025 were broadly flat compared to February (-0.4%) & were 17.9% higher than a year ago. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

It's interesting if unsurprising that, in its latest trading update, Speedy Hire has (& builders merchants will also have) "accelerated several planned depot closures & restructured various support roles within the business" due to "the Autumn Budget increases in employment taxes"... #ukconstruction

UK construction total pay (including bonuses) rose 7.6% & regular pay (excluding bonuses) rose 6.1% in the year to February 2025 according to the ONS & both have accelerated in the last 9-12 months since the recent low of house building demand. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

UK construction total pay (including bonuses) rose 7.6% & regular pay (excluding bonuses) rose 6.1% in the year to February 2025 according to the ONS & both have accelerated in the last 9-12 months since the recent low of house building demand. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

House building output (which is activity down on the ground & closer to house building completions than house building starts) in February 2025 was 0.3% lower than in January but 1.2% higher than a year ago according to the ONS &... (1/n) #GDP #ukconstruction #ukhousing

House building output (which is activity down on the ground & closer to house building completions than house building starts) in February 2025 was 0.3% lower than in January but 1.2% higher than a year ago according to the ONS &... (1/n) #GDP #ukconstruction #ukhousing

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in February 2025 were 21.4% higher than a year ago according to the Department for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data. Deliveries in February 2025 were 21.4% higher than a year ago according to the Department for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

SUMMARY: The OBR now forecasts 1.3 million net additional dwellings in 5 years in the UK (still requiring the growth shown in red), which is around 1.0 million for England compared with government's 1.5 million in the 5-year parliament target. #SpringStatement #SpringStatement25 #SpringStatement2025

At least now we can say even the OBR thinks they'll manage about 1m!

Yeah, I think this is the mistake. Someone writing the speech clearly jumped on the number without understanding the England/UK issue. A desire to find something supportive.

It's worse than that. The quoted 1.3million net additions is for UK and starts a year late (2025/26). If we make some assumptions for England, then the OBR forecast for this parliament is just under 1.0million net additions.

Long thread on construction skills... The Chancellor’s Spring Statement is on Wednesday, so unsurprisingly government is focusing on public relations, especially as economic growth this year will only be half what was expected back in Autumn. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

Long thread on construction skills... The Chancellor’s Spring Statement is on Wednesday, so unsurprisingly government is focusing on public relations, especially as economic growth this year will only be half what was expected back in Autumn. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction

Companies that own major infrastructure tend to spend on what they need to or what people see rather than on resilience & contingency to deal with big one-off disruptions & single points of failure. #ukconstruction #ukinfrastructure #Heathrow www.ft.com/content/4345...

House builders & contractors were expecting low single-digit cost inflation in 2025 but, with wage costs rises & expected material price rises in 2025 H1 due to energy & wage costs, cost inflation is likely to be mid to high single-digit in 2025. (5/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction