VIEWPOINT


REINSTATE CONSTRUCTION AS THE BACKBONE OF THE UK’S


ECONOMIC RECOVERY Helene Bradley, communications director, STARK Building Materials UK


THE BUILDING AND construction sector, already in crisis, now faces further challenges as the impacts of the current Middle East conflict hit businesses across Britain and Northern Ireland.


The cost to build is increasingly unviable for many builders and tradespeople due to market uncertainties, and the cost of materials and production is rising, as we all know, due to the Middle East situation constraining supply chains, which is compounding the already significant pressures on the sector. And yet, against that backdrop, now is the very time we need to pull together – a coalition of the willing across building and construction, to get our sector back on its feet. We need the Government to protect and support builders and tradespeople at this precarious time. We need to help each other as a community – through innovation, sharing insights and best, and forming connections that will make us stronger as we emerge into a new – currently uncertain future. And we also have a moment in time to help the general public understand and appreciate the true value that builders and tradespeople bring to local economies – as well as repairing, improving and building the diversity of homes the nation desperately needs.


Three years into its transformation journey, STARK UK continues to bring the power of partnering builders and tradespeople across the industry, in its ongoing stand for building and construction being the backbone of Britain and Northern Ireland’s economic growth.


The reality


While construction sits at the heart of the national economy, experiences on the ground tell a complex story. For the tradespeople and builders keeping projects moving, a combination of rising


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costs, shifting demand and increasing operational pressures is reshaping how businesses operate day to day.


Jewson’s latest Trade Trends research points to weakening confidence, with many businesses prioritising stability over growth. The impact of Middle East cost and price inflation notwithstanding, concerns around material price fluctuations have risen sharply (+14%), making it harder to quote accurately and protect margins. At the same time, business administration pressures are up 12%.


Cost pressures remain significant. Increased material costs (77%) and price volatility (67%) are still the biggest concerns, alongside cashflow challenges (41%), skills shortages (35%) and reduced demand (33%). Rising costs for sustainable products (+9%), ongoing delays (+8%) and a 7% increase in cancelled work further underline an increasingly fragile pipeline.


Demand is also softening. Just 16% of builders report increased enquiries (down 7% year-on-year), while 34% are seeing a decline (+11%). Looking ahead, only 12% expect demand to improve, with 69% anticipating no change and 19% expecting a downturn. This is reflected in growth expectations, with just 19% of businesses planning to grow, while most expect to hold steady or contract.


The wider picture Alongside our own research, what we also know is that the UK faces a housing shortfall of 6.5 million homes, with 1.5 million targeted by 2029. To close the gap by 2040, 565,000 homes must be built each year, more than double the current rate. There are approximately 630,000 vacant properties across


England, a significant proportion of which present viable opportunities for refurbishment and retrofit to bring them back into residential use. Yet planning delays remain costly and uncertain, often taking years with no guarantee of approval. The industry is also shrinking. Since 2008, 9,000 small housebuilders have left, leaving fewer than 2,000 in operation and reducing vital local supply and diversity.


While £600million has been pledged to train 60,000 workers by 2029, the sector needs 225,000 more skilled tradespeople by 2027 to meet demand. This is compounded by over 35,000 vacancies, widespread skills shortages, and the looming retirement of 25% of the workforce.


Taken together with our own insights, this paints a picture of a sector on the brink. And something needs to change.


Transformation Since the STARK UK businesses were acquired in March 2023 by STARK Group, Europe’s leading heavy building materials distributors, we have been making changes so that we’re in a strong position to support the sector. We have continued to invest in our branch network through the rollout of our Branch of the Future concept, designed around how customers work, with improved layouts, broader ranges – reliably available, and more efficient processes. Now live in flagship locations across the UK, it is setting the standard for modern merchanting.


Alongside this, we have


strengthened supplier partnerships and leveraged the scale of the wider STARK Group to improve availability, consistency and value, supported by ongoing investment


#LetsGetBritainBuildingNOW www.change.org/


LetsGetBritainBuildingNOW - Sign, Verify, Share


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net May 2026


in distribution, logistics and technology.


With branch teams at the heart of our model, our focus remains on giving builders and tradespeople the tools, support and confidence they need to keep their projects moving.


Actionable steps We recently launched a petition to make sure the voices and concerns of the nation’s hard- working professional builders and tradespeople are properly heard, to drive positive action. We believe the solutions for these priorities facing the industry’s professionals aren’t complicated – especially if government actively involves the sector in its plans.


Via the petition, ‘Let’s Get Britain Building – Now!’, we’re calling on the Government to build certainty and confidence in the market, focusing on the three biggest things which need to be resolved. 1. Provide financial incentives for people to buy or improve their homes. 2. Implement a simpler, faster and cheaper rules-based planning consent process. 3. Incentivise careers in building and construction, accelerating workforce training and talent attraction. These are undeniably challenging times, but they also present a critical window for action. The right changes now could unlock the sector’s full potential, ensuring it is ready to accelerate as confidence returns. Delay, and the window will close. Let’s pull together and take action to get Britain and Northern Ireland building – now! BMJ


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