BMF Urges New PM to Prioritise Housing Delivery

The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has welcomed the appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister and called on the new Government to make housing delivery an immediate priority.

BMF CEO John Newcomb said: 

“The confirmation today of Andy Burnham MP as the Prime Minister should provide fresh impetus to revive the housing market to Get Britain Building Again.

"It has been widely reported that the Prime Minister wants to see the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period. 

“This is welcome news for BMF members and, if delivered, will help begin to narrow the gap between housing demand and supply.

“But coupled with that must be urgent action to support private housebuilders who face rising costs, higher taxes and increasing regulatory pressures. Involvement of smaller firms is critically important to get anywhere near the 1.5 million new homes target that Labour set just two years ago.

“Ministers should use all available powers to foster a viable, functioning house-building market. 

“Encouraging SMEs back into the market to do what they do best - build a few homes, in many locations, to a high standard, in keeping with local surroundings, that people want to buy - ought to be a top priority for the Burnham Government.

“Only last Friday, the latest official figures showed that an estimated 392,400 homes have been delivered since July 2024. This means it has taken two years to exceed what was intended to be an annual target of 300,000 homes. 

“There remains significant work to do if the Government is to meet its housing ambitions, and we look forward to working with the Housing Minister to help deliver the new homes the country so desperately needs.”

The BMF has consistently called for measures to stimulate housebuilding, warning that continued policy, tax and regulatory pressures have contributed to weaker demand across the construction supply chain.

The Federation's Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) for May 2026 reinforces the need for urgent action. 

National sales volumes of building materials were down 5.8% in May 2026 over May 2025, and down by 1.4% on April 2026. 

The figures underline the continuing slowdown in construction activity and demonstrate why renewed confidence and investment in both public and private housebuilding are essential to restore growth across the sector.

Source : BMF

Image : BMF

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