The Autumn Budget is only a little over a week away, and the construction industry is bracing to see how it affects its ability to operate
With the announcement looming, and the chancellor’s warm-up speech a couple of week ago, Tony Higson, CEO and managing director at Grayson Building Supplies, has written to us with his Autumn Budget construction wishlist, and how Rachel Reeves can support the industry, and the housing market.
Check out some of our other other Autumn Budget wishlists, including from other industry leaders and other representative bodies.
Tony Higson, CEO and managing director at Grayson:
My biggest concern right now is the 1.5m homes promise. The whole industry is sitting still, not making any gains or moves, and it feels like we’re quietly edging away from that original commitment. The government’s latest 12 new towns plan is being presented as a bold new solution, but when you look at the numbers, it simply doesn’t stack up.
It’s said that the towns and policies will generate 300,000 homes per year over the next decade, which is a million miles away from what was pledged. I think there’s a realisation setting in that the original target isn’t going to happen, and the hope seems to be that everyone will simply forget.
As the Autumn Budget approaches, we need to get back to what really matters for housing: Helping people move into homes and giving the sector the clarity and support it desperately needs. If you want to understand the true state of housing in this country, don’t ask a politician or an economist; ask the people actually building and selling the homes. From where we stand, the reality is stark. There’s plenty of talk about ambition, but there’s very little actual money or policy direction to make it happen. The 1.5m homes target is drifting further out of reach, and unless decisive action is taken now, it will remain nothing more than a headline.
To meet the original housebuilding target, current delivery must be doubled
Housebuilding must be the foundation of any credible response to the housing crisis. That means a co-ordinated approach across both public and private sectors. We absolutely need more council and social housing for families who can’t access the private market, but we also must accept that over 80% of homes are delivered by private developers. Without a stable, predictable environment, those developers can’t operate effectively. Right now, confidence is collapsing across the market. Planning rules keep changing, taxes and levies are unpredictable, and the uncertainty makes developers hesitant to invest. The government needs to provide clarity and consistency; a long-term strategy that gives builders confidence to commit, hire and build. Confidence is every bit as important as funding. No developer is going to commit to a long-term project if they think the rules will change halfway through.
“Without urgent intervention, we’re looking at another decade of idle builders”
We’re currently building fewer than 200,000 homes a year, and the trend is heading the wrong way. To meet the original target, that number needs to be more than double. Even the repeated claims of delivering 300,000 homes a year over the next decade don’t match the reality on the ground, and is nowhere near what’s required to fix the problem.
Without urgent intervention, we’re looking at another decade of idle builders, frustrated buyers and broken promises. Mortgages remain out of reach for many first-time buyers, and existing homeowners are hesitant to move because of high taxes and speculation about new levies. Landlords are leaving the market, further squeezing supply. Estate agents and developers across the country are all saying the same thing: confidence has disappeared. Unless the Autumn Budget provides clear direction, this slowdown could turn into long-term stagnation. Developers want to build, but they need to know that if they invest time, money and resources, the rules won’t change halfway through the process. Clear, long-term policy would unlock stalled projects, accelerate housebuilding, and get homes built for the people who need them most.
To truly deliver, the government needs to focus on three things: restoring confidence across the housing market, supporting both public and private housing delivery, and putting in place a joined-up, deliverable strategy. Anything less will just be another round of promises that never materialise. With the right investment, support, and clarity, we can deliver homes at scale, train the next generation, and strengthen communities across the country. The moment to act is now. Waiting any longer will only deepen the crisis and push homeownership even further out of reach.
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