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Last Updated: 23/09/2025
Welcome to the BCIS newsletter where we bring you the latest news and insights from across the built environment.
Recent data we’ve analysed paints a picture of an industry in flux. While output is edging upwards and wages are climbing, we continue to see stubbornly high insolvency rates and weak growth forecasts, as well as sector-specific pressures, such as declining cement production. Together, these trends highlight a market that is still finely balanced between resilience and risk.
That balancing act will be the focus of our next construction outlook webinar on Thursday 25 September, where we’ll also be looking ahead to the Autumn Budget and whether it is likely to bring further pain or offer respite for the industry. You can register for the webinar here.
You can also stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn
Latest News and Insight
What does base rate latest mean for construction? The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 7-2 to maintain the base rate at 4% at its September meeting… Read More
What’s shaping the fall in UK cement production? Cement production is under the spotlight after the Mineral Products Association said historically low production levels could derail housing and infrastructure delivery… Read More
Insuring a greener built environment – what will it take? BCIS executive director Richard MacLean explores what insurers, regulators and the construction sector will need to do to make sustainable buildings truly insurable… Read More
Latest construction firm insolvency figures. Insolvency Service data show a monthly increase in construction insolvencies in July 2025… Read More
No improvement in near-term growth predictions. BCIS chief economist Dr David Crosthwaite assesses the latest economic forecasts published by the Treasury and what they could mean for construction… Read More
House price indices show continued growth. House prices grew in the 12 months to August 2025, according to both Halifax and Nationwide’s indices… Read More
Earnings growth in construction sector. Construction wages increased by 3.5% in the year to July 2025; an increase on the rise seen in the 12 months to June 2025… Read More
Construction output shows continued growth. Construction output showed modest growth in July, with new work up by 0.4% while Repair & Maintenance flatlined… Read More
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 04/09/2025
Welcome to the BCIS newsletter where we bring you the latest news and insights from across the built environment.
With Chancellor Rachel Reeves setting 26 November as Budget day, construction firms face an extended wait to understand the policy and economic climate in which they’ll be working at the end of the year. That uncertainty comes on top of muted expectations for the economy outlined in the latest round of independent forecasts published by the Treasury. The underlying need for clarity and forward visibility are themes that we’ll return to in our next industry outlook webinar on 25 September, where we’ll explore the Budget’s potential implications alongside our latest data and forecasts.
Elsewhere in this issue, we examine the latest tallies on UK housebuilding, which show housing starts are up but completions down, share the latest findings of our Scottish tender price assessment and contractor panels, and provide updates from four key BCIS estimating price datasets.
You can also stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn
Latest News & Insight
Six principles of benchmarking in construction BCIS shares how simple, consistent benchmarking can help to compare projects with confidence and deliver better value… Read More
UK housing starts increased in first quarter of year, but completions declined Completions in all parts of the UK were down in 1Q2025 on the year, apart from in Northern Ireland, according to ONS data… Read More
Predictions for economic growth and inflation Our assessment of the latest economic forecasts published by the Treasury and what they indicate for construction activity over the coming months… Read More
Dilapidations database update The cost of building activities associated with schedules of dilapidations has increased by 10% over the last two years… Read More
Construction rate increases revealed in update An average 5% increase has been applied to construction rates in the BCIS Major Works, Minor Works and Alterations & Refurbishment 2026 estimating datasets… Read More
Movement in tender prices in Scotland The BCIS Scottish Tender Price Assessment Panel reported lower increases in 3Q2025 than in 2Q2025… Read More
Contractors’ construction costs in Scotland Construction input costs increased by 3% in the year to 3Q2025, according to the BCIS Scottish Contractors Panel… Read More
Earnings growth in construction sector Construction wages increased by 4% in the year to June 2025; an increase on the rise seen in the 12 months to May 2025… Read More
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 26/08/2025
Welcome to the BCIS newsletter where we bring you the latest news and insights from across the built environment.
Recent industry data reflect a construction sector balancing cautious signs of stability with underlying vulnerabilities. While construction output rose in the second quarter, falling new orders, a shrinking workforce and rising insolvencies all point to ongoing pressures.
Supply chains also remain constrained, with brick deliveries still well below pre-pandemic levels and the latest S&P Global PMI sentiment survey showing the sharpest decline in activity in more than five years. Meanwhile, the Bank of England cut the base rate to 4% but cautioned that inflation is expected to remain above target into 2026, leaving financing conditions tight for developers and clients alike.
You can hear more about the outlook for the sector and the highlights of BCIS’s updated forecasts – covering our expectations for input costs, tender prices and activity levels over the next five years – in our next webinar.
You can also stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn.
Latest Insight
What does the Infrastructure Pipeline mean for capacity planning? Our assessment of the long-awaited NISTA tool, comprising 994 projects set to be delivered over the next decade…. Read More
Six reasons for benchmarking in construction. Successful benchmarking can make a significant difference to project outcomes. We explore some of the use cases… Read More
Understanding project preliminaries. Preliminaries can significantly influence project budgets. We break down some of the key cost drivers to consider… Read More
Latest News
House price indices show continued growth. Our assessment of house price growth in July against the backdrop of inflation in the wider economy… Read More
Latest construction firm insolvency figures. Insolvency Service data show construction firms accounted for 16% of all insolvencies in England and Wales in 2Q2025… Read More
Construction output grew in second quarter. New work and repair and maintenance output both increased on the quarter in 2Q2025… Read More
New orders down in second quarter of 2025. Total construction new orders were down by 8% in 2Q2025, with £10.8 billion worth of work committed to… Read More
Construction workforce shrinks in 2Q2025. The UK construction workforce shrank to its lowest level since 2Q2024, according to the latest employment data… Read More
Brick deliveries rise, still down on pre-COVID level. Seasonally adjusted brick deliveries in June 2025 were almost 30% lower than in June 2019… Read More
Bank of England’s latest decision on base rate. Our chief economist analyses the Bank of England’s vote to reduce Bank Rate to 4%… Read More
S&P Global survey shows construction activity still in decline. Movement in the latest S&P Global UK Construction PMI points to the sharpest decline in activity in over five years… Read More
Buildings insurance among most complained about products or services. More than 1,600 complaints were received by the Financial Ombudsman Service between April and June 2025… Read More
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 19/08/2025
As a BCIS subscriber, you’re invited to the next webinar in our series, Construction outlook: what’s next for the industry?
The topic:
In our quarterly construction outlook webinar, we assess the current state of the industry, examining the economic and political backdrop shaping the built environment.
Our experts will cover all of our usual insights and data as well as looking ahead to the looming Autumn Budget and what to expect.
Date: Thursday 25th September 2025 Time: 11am
Last Updated: 25/07/2025
Welcome to the BCIS newsletter where we bring you the latest news and insights from across the built environment.
Two major publications, long-awaited in the industry, have been published this month. The overhauled Infrastructure Pipeline, now hosted in an interactive dashboard, includes more than £530 billion planned investment for 775 projects, while AECOM’s government-commissioned report on the practical, technical and economic impacts of measuring and reducing embodied carbon in new buildings contains a raft of welcome and actionable recommendations.
Elsewhere, mixed fortunes have been reported in the sector, with overall construction output dragged down in May by a 2% decline in R&M activity, despite slight growth in new work output, as well as the impact of HRB approval delays laid bare in new data from the BSR.
You can stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn.
Latest insight
Major updates to carbon tools Executive director James Fiske outlines key updates to the Built Environment Carbon Database and BCIS Life Cycle Evaluator… Read More
Government must cherry-pick to make private funding work The government may need to be selective to make private funding work for social infrastructure… Read More
Latest news
New Infrastructure Pipeline is ‘valuable’, says BCIS chief economist BCIS has welcomed the arrival of NISTA’s Infrastructure Pipeline after its mid-July publication was promised in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy… Read More
Delayed decisions on higher-risk building applications quadrupled in 1Q2025 New data from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) show that delayed decisions on higher-risk building (HRB) applications in England jumped up between 1Q2024 and 1Q2025… Read More
Earnings growth slows in construction sector Construction wages, as measured by ONS’s Average Weekly Earnings dataset, increased by 3.9% in the year to May 2025… Read More
House price indices show continued growth House prices grew in the 12 months to June 2025, according to both Halifax and Nationwide’s indices… Read More
Construction output fell in May Overall construction output saw a decrease of 0.6% on April activity. Growth in new work was marginal, rising by 0.6% on the month, while R&M fell by 2.1%… Read More
BCIS hails AECOM report for calls to improve carbon reporting A government-commissioned report has been praised for its strong recommendations to improve embodied carbon reporting in the built environment… Read More
S&P Global report shows construction activity still in decline UK construction activity declined for the sixth consecutive month in June… Read More
Buildings insurance complaints highlight need for reliable data Buildings insurance was the eighth most complained about financial product or service in the final quarter of the 2024/25 financial year… Read More
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 10/07/2025
Welcome to the BCIS newsletter where we bring you the latest news and insights from across the built environment.
This week marks the first anniversary of the new Parliament meeting, giving us the opportunity to reflect on a busy 12 months of Labour governance. Our panel of experts has been assessing the government’s performance, from progress on its self-imposed housing target to how successfully it has inspired investor confidence.
In a flurry of publications over the last few weeks, the government also published its long-promised infrastructure and industrial strategies, though the sector will need to maintain its patience a little longer as we continue to await the updated project pipeline, due out this month.
We’ve also published our latest five-year forecasts, covering tender prices, input costs and projected output across the construction, civil engineering and facilities management markets. In the meantime, you can stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn.
One year of the Labour government
Is the government turning a corner after a rocky start? BCIS’s chief economist assesses the government’s overall prospects after a turbulent first year in power… Read More
One year: is Labour recapturing the dream of home ownership? An assessment of the government’s progress towards 1.5 million new homes and the hurdles to success it may have put in its own path… Read More
One year: an infrastructure snapshot. With Labour banking on infrastructure to drive growth, BCIS’s data services director explores how reform could be delivered… Read More
One year: has Labour delivered for the economy? A look at the key questions around the government’s economic impact… Read More
One year: progress on whole-life carbon thinking We dig into Labour’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and consider what actions need to be taken next… Read More
One year: housing figures show work to do With the 1.5 million housing target central to the government’s pledges, EPC registrations offer a measure of progress… Read More
10 Year Infrastructure Strategy promises delivery BCIS assesses the potential of Labour’s long-awaited infrastructure plans and funding commitments… Read More
Industrial strategy: key takeaways for construction Notable for its omission as a ‘growth-driving sector’, we see what’s in the government’s industrial strategy for construction… Read More
Latest forecasts
BCIS building forecast The latest update to our five-year construction industry forecast, covering projected input costs, tender prices and output, and examining market trends… Read More
BCIS infrastructure forecast The latest civil engineering market report sets out BCIS’s expectations for the infrastructure sector over the next five years… Read More
BCIS facilities management forecast The quarterly BCIS maintenance, cleaning and energy briefing includes expected private and public sector building maintenance, cleaning and energy costs… Read More
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 08/07/2025
Welcome to the BCIS newsletter where we bring you the latest news and insights from across the built environment. Industry headlines over the last few weeks have been dominated by reactions to a raft of government announcements – ministers are undoubtedly keen to demonstrate that significant progress has been made since taking office almost one year ago.
In this newsletter, we’ve got our experts’ take on the much-anticipated content of the Chancellor’s Spending Review, as well as our regular roundup of BCIS quarterly insights, including growth in our housing construction price index and commentary from our tender price panels.
We’ll be back with an extra edition of the newsletter next week, sharing our experts’ assessment of the first year of this Parliament, the highlights of our updated five-year forecasts, and a closer look at the details of the government’s 10-year strategies and upcoming project pipeline. In the meantime, you can stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn.
Quarterly updates
BCIS tender price indices showed modest growth in 2Q2025, with the All-in TPI increasing by 0.5% compared with the first quarter of the year, while the BCIS Civil Engineering TPI Panel reported an average quarterly increase of 1%, mainly due to pent-up demand and greater selectivity from the supply chain. In Scotland, proposed migration reforms risk exacerbating labour shortages, prompting warnings from the industry about widening skills gaps.
Government spending plans
The long-awaited second phase of the government’s Spending Review was presented to Parliament earlier this month, heralding welcome funding commitments across transport, nuclear and housing. But our experts warned that delivery could be constrained by supply-side pressures. Elsewhere in the government’s announcements our team found slim pickings on the whole life carbon front and suspected the 1.5 million homes goal could remain stuck behind a brick wall. We also considered the implications for investor confidence, with private capital as crucial, if not more so, than the public purse to get major projects moving, as well as asking whether an infrastructure boom is on the cards.
Latest insight
Planning shortfall still big barrier The proposals of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill show promise, but the ability of the UK’s planning capacity to match the Bill’s ambitions remains cause for concern… Read More
Deal or no deal: does UK tariff matter for construction? We consider the implications of tariffs on UK steel exports imposed by the USA, and what effect a deal might have, if any, on the construction sector… Read More
Informed to reform: how can insurance tackle its biggest challenges? We discuss the biggest challenges for the insurance sector and why an informed approach can provide a solution… Read More
Who’s responsible for training construction’s next generation? Funding cuts to level 7 apprenticeships have brought fresh labour concerns for construction as demand for specialist skills intensifies… Read More
Webinars on demand
Construction outlook: what’s next for the industry? In this quarterly outlook webinar, our Chief Economist assessed the current state of the industry, examining the economic and political backdrop. We also polled more than 300 construction professionals, predominantly cost consultants and surveyors, on their own expectations for the next 12 months. Watch Webinar
The reality check: benchmarking for increased cost confidence. Our panel of experts explored how benchmarking provides a much-needed reality check, as well as improving forecasting accuracy by grounding predictions in evidence rather than speculation. Watch Webinar
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 10/06/2025
As a BCIS subscriber, you’re invited to the next webinar in our series, Construction outlook: what’s next for the industry?
The topic:
In our quarterly construction outlook webinar, we assess the current state of the industry, examining the economic and political backdrop shaping the built environment.
We’ll be reflecting on the content of the Chancellor’s Spending Review, as well as sharing the latest highlights from our five-year forecasts covering input costs, tender prices and construction output.
Date: Thursday 26 June 2025 Time: 11am
Last Updated: 14/05/2025
Join us for a practical webinar focused on benchmarking, a powerful, underused technique that compares estimates to real-world data from completed projects.
Our experienced panel will explore how benchmarking can provide a much-needed reality check and improve forecasting accuracy by grounding predictions in evidence, rather than speculation.
Date: Thursday 5th June 2025 Time: 11am
Last Updated: 30/04/2025
Welcome to the April edition of the BCIS newsletter in which we bring you the latest news and insights from across the construction industry. This month we explore the potential fallout from continued global economic disruption alongside a mixed picture closer to home – from the positive rise in construction output recorded by ONS for February, to the ongoing contraction reported in the S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index for March.
You can stay up to date by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn. In the next few weeks, we’ll be analysing the next set of New Orders data, tracking the impact of the Bank of England’s base rate decision, and reporting on the latest construction earnings trends.
Latest News
Strong earnings growth continues in construction sector Construction wages increased by over 6% in the year to February 2025, outpacing earnings growth in the economy as a whole… Read More
House price indices show continued growth UK house prices increased in the year to March 2025, according to both Halifax and Nationwide indices… Read More
Latest building materials and components statistics Brick deliveries increased in the 12 months to February 2025, but are still down compared with pre-pandemic levels… Read More
Positive news as construction output increases in February Construction output increased by 0.4% in February compared with January 2025, according to the latest ONS data… Read More
Construction activity declined for the third month in a row in March The latest update to the S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index… Read More
Latest Insight
Construction inflation: reflecting reality with project cost data The newest additions to the basket of goods used to track general inflation are a timely reminder of the importance of using construction-specific indices… Read More
Could Trump’s tariffs compound the threat of recession or stagflation in the UK? Outlining the potential impacts of US tariffs on the economy and industry, and what the UK government could do to mitigate these… Read More
How BCIS construction data supports the training of quantity surveyors in academia We spoke to Nii A. Ankrah, senior lecturer in quantity surveying at Aston University, about how BCIS construction data supports student training… Read More
Funding construction projects – the role of cost data A case study interview with Aros Kapital Director, Léon Karens, covering the use of BCIS data for risk assessing residential projects… Read More
What role does cost data play throughout the project life cycle? We examine the role that independent, reliable cost data plays in helping teams to deploy resources efficiently and effectively… Read More
How to add the value in value engineering A look at how value engineering can drive greater efficiency across construction projects… Read More
Webinar on Demand
BCIS webinar – Construction outlook: what’s next for the industry? Our quarterly construction outlook webinar assesses the current state of the industry, examining the economic and political backdrop shaping the built environment. Watch Webinar
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.
Last Updated: 26/03/2025
In this issue we present the key highlights of the quarterly BCIS forecasts, outlining our expectations for input costs, tender prices and output across the construction, infrastructure and repair & maintenance sectors over the next five years. We also feature the latest insights from our tender price panels, along with reaction to the latest Bank of England vote on the base rate.
You can stay up to date with the latest news and insights by visiting bcis.co.uk and following us on LinkedIn. In the next week this will include in-depth analysis of the Spring Statement, which Rachel Reeves will deliver to Parliament tomorrow, and the Office for Budget Responsibility’s updated economic forecast. The implications of these will also be covered in our next construction outlook webinar on 1 April, in which our chief economist will consider the industry’s likely prospects over the coming year.
Latest Forecasts
BCIS building forecast The latest update to our five-year construction industry forecast, covering projected input costs, tender prices and output, and examining market trends… Read more
Infrastructure forecast The latest civil engineering market report sets out BCIS’s expectations for the infrastructure sector over the next five years… Read more
Facilities management forecast The quarterly BCIS maintenance, cleaning and energy briefing includes expected private and public sector building maintenance, cleaning and energy costs… Read more
Latest News
Bank of England’s latest decision on base rate BCIS chief economist Dr David Crosthwaite shares his views on the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee vote to maintain the base rate at 4.5%… Read more
Continued growth in housebuilding cost inflation Annual housebuilding cost inflation saw a rise in 4Q2024, with two-fifths of housebuilders reporting an increase in the cost of materials… Read more
Buildings insurance complaints highlight need for reliable data Buildings insurance was the eighth most complained about financial product or service in the latest Financial Ombudsman data… Read more
Latest building materials and components statistics Annual movement in building materials prices dipped in the 12 months to January 2025… Read more
Latest civil engineering tender price movement Civil engineering tender prices increased by an average of 1% in the first quarter of 2025, according to the BCIS Civil Engineering TPI panel… Read more
Tender price index, estimate of tender price inflation, 1Q2025 The BCIS TPI Panel reported that tender prices in the UK increased an average 2.3% in the year to 1Q2025… Read more
Latest Insights
What role do digital tools play in decarbonising construction? BCIS explores how the development of digital tools in construction can support decarbonisation progress through effective measuring and reporting… Read more
Why hasn’t Part Z been mandated into Building Regulations yet? Could it be time for Part Z to be incorporated into existing building regulations? Will Arnold, Head of Climate at IStructE shares his view…. Read more
Webinar on Demand
Ask the experts: simplifying cost and carbon measurement and reporting in construction Our panel of experts addresses all things cost and carbon, from balancing sustainability with budget constraints to navigating compliance with the RICS standard. Watch webinar
Have your say
Do you have a topic you’d like covered in one of our webinars? Or do you have a question you want answered? Let us know your thoughts here.