Your First Home to launch in spring
The government’s new equity loan scheme, Your First Home (YFH), will be launched in the spring, the chancellor John Healey has announced. Delivering the government’s Budget today (October 28), Healey also said YFH, a 20% equity loan scheme for first-time buyers, would be supported by £4.7 billion of government-backed loans. This will support the delivery of an estimated 20,000 new homes.
SMEs “hesitant to invest” – HBF/Quantum
Ninety six percent of SME housebuilders have said they are hesitant to invest in new developments due to current market conditions, according to new research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Quantum Development Finance.
NHBC registrations fall again
NHBC figures released today (Monday) reveal that 26,231 new homes were registered in Q3 2026, down 13% on Q3 2025 (30,279). With affordability pressures continuing to weigh on demand and supply-side barriers constraining delivery, private sector registrations fell 8% to 18,359, compared to 20,054 a year earlier. Registrations in the rental and affordable sector fell 23% to 7,872 from 10,225 in Q3 2025.
Half of LPAs fail to discharge planning conditions within statutory timeframe – HBF/Paragon Bank
Only half of planning condition applications are being determined within the statutory eight-week timeframe, according to new research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Paragon Bank Development Finance.
MHCLG takes over Homes England’s Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has taken ownership of Homes England’s Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service. In an update on the service’s page, MHCLG said its function had transferred from Homes England. The national housing and regeneration agency had been managing the database, connecting housebuilders with housing associations to address the problem of uncontracted and unsold affordable homes, since its inception in December 2024.
BEYOND ’27 LIVE – Early bird offer available until November 16
BEYOND ‘27 LIVE, NHBC’s home building conference, returns to Coventry’s CBS Arena on March 4 2027. Attendees can hear from industry-leading voices across five stages, explore the latest low-carbon technologies at the Future Home Explorer and discover practical insights to help stay ahead of industry change.
Government introduces Remediation Bill to parliament
The government has introduced the Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill to parliament. The Bill, announced as part of the King’s Speech in May and part of the government’s “mission to fix the building safety crisis”, brings forward a new legal duty on those responsible for the safety of their buildings, such as freeholders, “to identify, assess, and fix issues without delay”. Anyone who obstructs this process “could face criminal penalties”, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Vistry’s Stephen Teagle to retire from business
Vistry’s Stephen Teagle is to retire from his role next year, with L&G Affordable Housing’s Catherine Raynsford succeeding him. According to the partnerships-led housebuilder, Teagle, Vistry’s chief executive, partnerships and regeneration, indicated his wish to retire earlier this year, with the changes forming part of a “planned succession process”.
Future Homes Hub highlights practical guidance during National Heat Pump Week
The Future Homes Hub has highlighted the growing body of guidance and shared learning available to help housebuilders deliver low carbon homes at scale, as the industry marks National Heat Pump Week this week. With the Future Homes Standard set to drive an increase in heat pump adoption across the sector, the Hub has pointed to its range of practical guidance, tools and lessons learned from early adopters.
Bellway grows volumes but forecasts lower completions for 2027
Bellway has grown its volume output and profits, “despite ongoing challenges across the housing market”, it said today (October 13). But it is expecting lower completions for 2027, given its lower opening order book and “ongoing pressures on customer demand”. For its full year results for the year ending July 31 2026, the housebuilder reported a 10.8% rise in total housing completions to 9,695 homes against the equivalent period last year, at an average selling price of £324,404, up on 2025’s £316,412.
