Despite strong demand for housing, first-time buyers face structural barriers that are preventing them from accessing the market… 1️⃣ Higher deposits and stricter lending criteria 2️⃣ Rising house prices and interest rates outpacing wage growth

Last year, home building supported around 9,000 trainees and apprentices Each year we're pleased to bring early talent together for our parliamentary skills reception. This year's event takes place on 11 March - and you're invited👇️ Find out more and express an interest 👉 buff.ly/IH57CxI #NAW

There's still time to secure a discounted ticket to #HBFPolicyConference 2026 🐥 You can save up to £££ on your ticket by securing your place today 👇 Exclusive discount for #HBF members - save £174 when booking before 13 Feb buff.ly/b8omQzn

Important new stats on the energy and thermal performance of new builds… … and benefits to homeowners 👇 💡 Almost all new builds have A or B EPC ratings, reducing carbon emissions by up to 74% 💡 Energy efficiency features like heat pumps, solar panels & EV chargers can add 6% to a home’s value

Two years of Biodiversity Net Gain… what’s working, and what isn’t? As we approach two years since the introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), HBF is seeking views on how the policy is working in practice across the home building sector.

HBF has been actively engaging with the Welsh Government on the support the home building industry needs to succeed, as noted by Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, this week.

Important reminders of the positive social & economic footprint of home building👇 In 2024/25, new homes in England & Wales delivered... 🔸£47 billion worth of economic activity 🔸£1.3bn for community infrastructure 🔸 £600m of funding for schools 🔸 £10 billion in Affordable Housing #NewHomesWeek

Last week our Chief Executive represented the industry at a ministerial roundtable, welcoming progress on planning reform, while highlighting the need for a stronger focus on tackling growing viability constraints and addressing demand-side challenges.

To mark New Homes Week 2026, we’ve released the Watt a Save report with @octopus.energy, showing how modern, energy-efficient new build homes save money and cut carbon emissions. 👇

“Without Government intervention, home ownership will continue to fall and become the preserve of a smaller, older and wealthier group. Help to Buy showed that well-designed equity loan schemes can deliver strong returns for taxpayers and support and supply.” Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive at HBF

Last year, home builders provided around £1.3 billion to support community infrastructure… From national developers to regional builders, the industry plays a valuable role in the places people live and work. #NewHomesWeek #HomeBuilding

Government has announced an ‘emergency’ approach to tackle #Section106 Affordable Housing market challenges... … following sustained efforts by our team to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges within the S106 AH market, and the need for intervention.

Home ownership in England has been in steady decline for over two decades. Despite demand remaining extremely high, fewer households are able to turn that demand into a purchase.

SME developers 👉 How would you describe your overall outlook on the housing market over the next three months? Answer this question and a handful more in our new quarterly sentiment survey - closing 30 Jan. Your responses will support our future engagement with Government. buff.ly/Q1rGHV4

There’s still time to sign up for our webinar on planning challenges in home building in Wales. Join Mark Harris, Planning and Policy Advisor for Wales at HBF, alongside expert speakers from RTPI and Community Housing Cymru, for a discussion on how the plan-led system in Wales is affecting housing

“As a family business, we very much feel like we build homes, not just houses.” #HomeBuilding #NewHomesWeek

Home ownership is slipping further out of reach for millions of people in England. We’ve just published Broken Ladder: The Affordability Gap, which shows how rising costs and tighter lending are preventing first-time buyers from turning demand into home ownership. 🧵👇

⌛ One week to go until our open Wales planning webinar! As Wales continues to operate within a plan-led planning system, understanding the progress and challenges of Local Development Plans (LDPs) is critical for the home building industry.

New Homes Week 2026 resources available now 👇 🔸 Campaign toolkit – including a 7-day content framework 🔸 7 influencer / advocate briefing templates 🔸 NHW 2026 supporter badge 🔸 NHW logo and brand guidelines 🔸 PR pack with template releases 🔸 Digital assets Download 👉 buff.ly/TbizJmR

Home ownership in England is increasingly out of reach. Our latest report reveals that the gap between what first-time buyers can afford and the cost of buying a home has widened sharply in recent years, locking more than 1.5 million potential homeowners out of the market. 👉https://buff.ly/5U5WaqH

The findings of our research show that home ownership in England has fallen significantly over the past two decades 👇 Broken Ladder: The Affordability Gap is live on our website now 📄 www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

The 2 week countdown to New Homes Week has begun… If you haven’t yet, make sure you’ve downloaded the resources available to support your organisation to take part in the campaign at hbf.co.uk/NHW26

With this year’s New Homes Week campaign a couple of weeks away (2 to 8 February), we’re revisiting the stories we showcased as part of last year’s campaign… Including this short piece with3West Group's Colin Palmer. #NewHomesWeek

Rising taxes, new levies and excessive policy costs are making investment in new housing in the capital hard to justify. Our recent Housing Pipeline report has found that London saw the biggest drop in units approved during Q3 2025, down 49% on last quarter and 72% compared to Q3 2024.

How confident are you in navigating the plan-led planning system in Wales? Join us for this open webinar, where we will bring you up to speed on the latest planning challenges facing home building in Wales. Register for the session 👉https://buff.ly/UWSr81w

The HBF Technical Conference brings together industry experts to unpack the latest technical and regulatory shifts and what they mean for our sector. This year’s event will be held at Birmingham’s Austin Court on 10 Sept Sign up to stay informed when tickets become available 👉 buff.ly/AtVPKrc

Each year around 150 professionals come together for the HBF Technical Conference. 🏠 Next year's event will take place at Birmingham's Austin Court on 20 September 🗓️ Sign up to be notified when tickets go on sale 📩 buff.ly/AtVPKrc

The 90-minute, fully-funded Roofing Masterclass covers... 🔨 Underlay and battens and roofing components 🔨 Mortar 🔨 Condensation control and ventilation 🔨 Weathering and flashings 🔨 Fixing of slates and tiles 🔨 Wet and dry verges and valleys 🔨 Dry and ventilated ridges Book now👉 buff.ly/6qVRqPX

There’s still time to sign up for our exclusive HBF member webinar on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Join Catherine Williams, Planning Director at HBF, and a panel of expert speakers from MHCLG, Vistry, Baker Estates, and Savills, in a discussion on the draft NPPF.

Housing approvals have been in a steady decline for nearly three years. Q3 2025 was the 11th successive quarter that the number of sites permissioned continued to fall. Despite positive planning reform... Further evidencing the need for action to address broader viability constraints.

📣 HBF Planning Conference 2026 will take place on 9 September at Austin Court, Birmingham. Sign up to our mailing listl to be notified when tickets go on sale 📩 buff.ly/AtVPKrc

Earlier this year, 57% of SME home builders told us they were less optimistic than before the General Election. Where do you see the biggest missed opportunities for Government this year?

New Homes Week 2026 resources available now 👇 🔸 Campaign toolkit – including a 7-day content framework 🔸 7 influencer / advocate briefing templates 🔸 NHW 2026 supporter badge 🔸 NHW logo and brand guidelines 🔸 PR pack with template releases 🔸 Digital assets 👉 Hbf.co.uk/NHW26

We asked SME home builders to identify the biggest barriers to growth facing their businesses. What they told us was unsurprising👇 #StateOfPlay

⌛ One week to go until our exclusive draft NPPF webinar for HBF members! As planning reform moves to the top of the agenda for 2026, understanding the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is critical for the home building industry.

🚨 New Homes Week 2026 is coming… From 2 to 8 February, we’ll be spotlighting the Power to Move, highlighting the benefits of new build homes and empowering home buyers to make their next move with confidence. HBF members can access a wide range resources to support your planning 👇 hbf.co.uk/NHW26

Start the new year informed with our timely webinar on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This exclusive HBF member webinar will bring you up to speed on the Government’s proposed planning reforms and what they could mean for housing delivery in 2026 and beyond.

“The positive planning reforms announced this week are very positive, but home builders continue to grapple with rising policy costs and new taxes, making investment hard to justify" Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive of HBF

Planning approvals in England are reaching record lows. We’ve just published the latest Housing Pipeline report, which serves as a vital barometer for permissions granted and strongly indicate what we can expect for future housing supply. 🧵👇

And just like that 3 months have passed since the HBF Planning Conference 🕙 Good news - we'll be back in Birmingham for the HBF Planning Conference on 9 September. Save the date 🗓️

“When offers do come in, they’re so low that the homes are completely unviable” This is what we’re hearing from many regional builders. The challenges within the S106 Affordable Housing market are undeniable. Yet, inflexibility in the system causes avoidable delays &viability struggles.

We asked SME home builders to identify the top actions that Government could take to deliver the greatest positive impact… Here’s what they told us 👇 #StateOfPlay

New housing developments are experiencing significant delays in the adoption of essential infrastructure. Our latest findings show that over the past 3 years: ➡️ Only 10% of new sites had their roads adopted ➡️ Just 3% of sewers & 2% of SuDS have been adopted by water companies

More than 15,000 tradespeople have benefitted from our masterclasses initiative. The 90-minute fully-funded sessions have been developed to tackle common issues found by NHBC inspectors, to reduce rework and support teams to get it right first time. Book now 👇

🚨 Confirmed: Secretary of State for Housing, Rt Hon Steve Reed MP will speak at HBF Policy Conference 2026 As Government doubles down on its “build, baby, build” pledge, hear directly from the Housing Secretary on plans to deliver. 📅24 March 26 📍 1 Wimpole Street, London Tickets 👉 buff.ly/YAmWCc3

Fully-funded spaces are available on open brickwork, dry lining and roofing courses later this month, and in the new year. Share details with your subcontractors 👇 🧱👉 Brickwork: buff.ly/eF2YQu2 🏠👉 Roofing: buff.ly/ww5C6iK 🔩👉Dry Lining: buff.ly/GyvcuSV

The HBF Technical Conference returns 10 September 2026 🔔 (It'll be here before you know it...) Sign up to be notified when tickets go on sale 📩 buff.ly/AtVPKrc

This morning, we brought together SME home builders to highlight the most significant threats facing small and medium businesses. The roundtable was sponsored by Mike Reader MP, Chair of the Built Environment APPG, and in partnership with Quantum Development Finance. Thanks to all who joined us.

In today’s Budget, the Chancellor confirmed that the Government will not proceed with proposed changes to Landfill Tax following intense pressure from HBF and industry on its potential impact on housing delivery.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Autumn Budget, we’re spotlighting the constraints holding back home building and the decisive actions Government can take to change that. From reducing regulatory burdens to easing infrastructure delays, see our recommendations 👇