Since assuming office, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated a commitment to construction and housing delivery including greater emphasis on skills and vocational training. PBM considers responses from across the merchant sector:
With news that Prime Minister Andy Burnham is planning to place greater emphasis on technical education, apprenticeships and vocational routes as part of wider reforms aimed at tackling skills shortages and reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training, David Young, CEO of Bradfords Building Supplies, offers his perspectives…
David said: “For too long, vocational and technical careers have been viewed as a second choice for young people when, in reality, they underpin some of the UK’s most important industries. Construction is facing a long-term skills challenge, and if we’re serious about building the homes, infrastructure and sustainable communities the country needs, we must do more to attract young people into the sector.
“Giving technical education greater prominence is a positive step, particularly if it helps young people understand the breadth of opportunities available in construction and the wider building materials and merchanting industry. However, success will depend on employers, educators and government working closely together to ensure training reflects the skills businesses actually need.”
David continued: “At Bradfords, we’ve long believed in investing in apprenticeships and developing talent from within. Young people need to see that there are rewarding, long-term careers available across our industry, whether that’s in the trades, merchanting, manufacturing, logistics or leadership roles.
“Raising the profile of those opportunities can only be a good thing for the future of construction.”
Lyndon Johnson, Managing Director of Huws Gray Partnership Solutions, outlines the business’s hopes for Burnham’s premiership, looking at the supply chain infrastructure needed to realise his ambition of supercharging the building of social housing nationwide.
Lyndon said: “Andy Burnham has made it clear that social housing will be one of the defining priorities of his premiership, and that commitment will be welcomed across the housing sector. In one his first acts since taking the reigns, he has unveiled a pledge of £39bn to help build the next generation of social housing.
“At a time when demand for affordable, high-quality homes continues to outstrip supply, the opportunity to deliver meaningful, long-term change is one the industry has been waiting for. However the challenge for housing providers is turning that ambition into practical delivery.”
Lyndon continued: “Whether it’s accelerating the construction of new social homes, upgrading ageing housing stock or improving the energy efficiency of existing properties, local authorities, housing associations and development partners will all be expected to deliver at greater pace and scale than ever before if these targets are to be realised.”
“That requires both funding and policy reform, and also requires the confidence that the supply chain can support those ambitions from day one.
“The organisations that succeed will be those that view procurement not as a transactional exercise, but as a strategic partnership focused on continuous improvement, budget certainty and delivering better outcomes for residents.”
He added: “We’ve seen in recent years how fragile construction supply chains can impact project timelines, budgets and ultimately the communities waiting for new homes. While market conditions have improved, the focus now must be on building resilience through strong procurement strategies, dependable supplier relationships and early collaboration across the delivery chain.
“Housing providers are increasingly looking beyond simple product procurement. They need strategic partners, such as Huws Gray Partnership Solutions, that can improve first-time fix rates by ensuring operatives have access to the right products, at the right time, backed by technical expertise, dependable logistics and consistent product availability. As retrofit, decarbonisation and new-build programmes compete for resources simultaneously, Huws Gray continues to invest in resilient supply chain solutions, with strong OTIF performance and data-led planning helping customers keep projects on schedule and deliver better value for residents.”
Lyndon also stated: “There is also a significant opportunity for the new government to empower local delivery. Giving councils and housing providers the confidence to plan over the long term will encourage investment, strengthen regional supply chains and help create greater certainty for manufacturers, merchants and contractors alike.
“At Huws Gray Partnership Solutions, we work alongside housing providers, local authorities and contractors every day, so we understand the practical challenges involved in delivering large-scale housing programmes. That’s why we continue to invest in digital procurement, logistics and data-led performance management to help customers improve operational efficiency, optimise stock, reduce unnecessary costs and keep programmes on track.
He concluded: “The government’s renewed focus on social housing is an important step forward. But if the ambition is to build more homes, improve existing ones and create lasting communities, every part of the sector must pull in the same direction. A resilient, collaborative supply chain will be fundamental to making those ambitions a reality.”
The Builders Merchants Federation, meanwhile, has called on Andy Burnham and his 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.”
John continued: “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.
“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.”
He concluded: “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 notes that it 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. Indeed, the Federation’s Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) for May 2026 reinforces the need for urgent action.
For example, national sales volumes of building materials were shown to be 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.
