The uncertain political landscape is a growing challenge for roofing firms, according to the latest report from the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC).
The State of the UK Roofing Industry report, produced for NFRC by Barbour ABI and based on responses from UK roofing contractors, provides a snapshot of sentiment across the industry in autumn 2025.
The findings show that many firms feel the autumn budget failed to provide the certainty needed for future planning. Just 9% of respondents believe that the budget provided the necessary certainty.
There was also a steady increase in the percentage of businesses identifying political uncertainty as a key challenge in 2025, with figures rising from 37% in spring to 47% in autumn.
While some measures in last year’s budget were welcomed, such as fully subsidised under-25 apprenticeships for SMEs, most respondents indicated that the overall package did little to boost confidence.
Very few firms reported that the government was providing them with the support needed to succeed.
“The findings highlight how uncertain political and economic signals are continuing to affect business confidence and investment decisions across the roofing sector,” said NFRC policy officer Gray Gibson.
“Our members need a stable environment to plan, invest and grow. They make clear in this report that ongoing political and economic uncertainty is making forward planning more difficult.
“Proposed changes, including a new single construction regulator, the licensing of professions and reform of construction products regulations, would fundamentally reshape the construction sector and take years to implement. If pursued without explicit cross-party consensus, they risk limiting industry buy-in and further undermining confidence.”
