Home Builders Federation SME Housebuilders State of Play 2026
The latest HBF State of Play survey of SME housebuilders makes challenging reading for Government and the ministers whose remits include the sector. SME housebuilders, of which there are only 2,500 left in the UK, really are on the front line of viability pressures, and this part of our sector faced the sharpest decline in employment over the last 3 years.
Details of Your First Home, which developers pay a fee to join, does favour the SME housebuilders as the tapered fees start at just 1% on the first 100 sales per year. We’re looking for the impact of this from April, but meanwhile echo the HBF comments:
The HBF comments “Creating an environment in which small and medium sized developers can operate with greater certainty and confidence is vital to unlocking investment in future housing delivery. Without targeted action that enables them to continue operating in an increasingly difficult market, SMEs will continue to face disproportionate barriers, limiting competition, diversity and resilience across the home building sector.”
You can download the full report on SME Housebuilders State of Play 2026 here.
James Scott
MD
