Weekly Policy Update |
up to Friday 4th July 2025
Information provided by National Constructing Excellence
The week in policy
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) sets target for social and affordable housing
MHCLG has set an ambition to deliver around 300,000 social and affordable homes through the £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The plan outlines five steps to renew social and affordable housing, focusing on increasing supply, improving safety and quality, and rebuilding financial capacity.
Construction Leadership Council Launches Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy at Sector Summit
We were delighted to attend the launch of the Construction Leadership Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing strategy at a summit attended by over 150 industry leaders. The strategy will deliver better heath, safety and wellbeing across the construction sector, by focusing on driving industry-wide change, and within firms, from the boardroom to the construction site, through leaders taking personal responsibility for improving Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
The CLC will tackle these issues head-on working in partnership between government and industry, with greater communication, more in-person engagement, and more transparency around incidents so the sector can learn the right lessons when something goes wrong. It will focus on a number of key challenges including reducing the number of fatalities happening on site; and improving mental health given that depression and anxiety account for nearly half of all work-related sickness.
Transfer of the Building Safety Regulator
The Building Safety Regulator will be transferred from the HSE to a new executive agency as part of the MHCLG by the autumn. Andy Roe, former London Fire Brigade Commissioner, will be the Chair of the new board alongside interim Chief Executive Charlie Pugsley – another former commissioner. The agency will introduce a fast-track process to help speed up the review of new-build applications and reduce delays to help the government reach its 1.5 million homes target.
The government publishes consultations on the Decent Homes Standard and energy efficiency in social housing
The government published a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard to be enforced in both social and privately rented homes, rather than just the social rented sector, as now. BRE’s cost of poor housing research series is extensively referenced throughout this consultation. The government also launched a consultation on its proposal to set a minimum energy efficiency standard for socially rented homes. At the moment socially rented homes are not required to meet a minimum EPC standard, though there are minimum requirements for certain energy efficiency features that are estimated to be equivalent to an EPC F rating. The government’s proposal is to set the standard at EPC C or equivalent by 2030, aligning with its previous consultation on such a standard for the private rented sector. The final deadline for both of these consultations is Wednesday 10 September.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) launches solar roadmap
DESNZ launched the solar roadmap which sets out steps needed for the government and industry to deliver 45-47 GW of solar by 2030, aiming to support 35,000 jobs and use less than half a percent of total UK land. The roadmap includes:
- Increasing solar deployment through the Future Homes Standard,
- Launching a call for evidence to understand how to harness the potential of solar in car parks, and
- Plans to launch a safety review to unlock portable plug-in solar panels.
The Department for Business and Trade publishes the UK trade strategy
The government published its UK trade strategy aimed at unlocking £5bn for UK businesses and expanding UK Export Finance’s capacity to £80bn. The Ricardo Fund has been launched which enables businesses to capitalise on their comparative advantage across the eight sectors mentioned in the industrial strategy such as clean energy industries. The government also states the fund will enable the UK to work more closely with standards organisations to shape the global standards of the future in these sectors.
Health Secretary launches ‘Fit for the Future: The 10 Year Health Plan for England’
Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has published the new 10-year health strategy for England.
Pathway to the launch of a steel strategy
The government has committed to a sustainable future for steelmaking. Industry Minister Sarah Jones highlighted recent achievements in the sector, including reducing electricity costs for steel producers by 90% and streamlining grid access for major projects. The government is also strengthening trade protections, capping import levels, and changing procurement rules to prioritise UK-made steel.
In the news
Planning institute boss to become CIOB chief executive | Construction News
Construction accounts for more than a quarter of workplace deaths | Construction News
Coming up next week
Tuesday 8 July: The Built Environment Committee will hear oral evidence for their New Towns: Practical Delivery inquiry.