NEW research has revealed that political uncertainty has presented a growing challenge for UK roofing businesses.
The findings are revealed in NFRC’s latest State of the UK Roofing Industry report, produced by Barbour ABI and based on responses from roofing contractors across the UK.
The study found that many firms feel the autumn budget failed to provide the certainty required for future planning, with only 9% of respondents saying the budget provided certainty in this regard.
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.
“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.”
The survey results point to a subdued period for workload and new enquiries, reflecting weather constraints at the end of 2025 and wider pressures across the construction sector.
Commercial repair, maintenance and improvement (RM&I) remains the most positive segment of the market, offering a degree of resilience compared with other areas of work. However, overall enquiry levels continued to soften.
Alongside uncertainty, the continued shortage of skilled workers remains one of the most pressing challenges for contractors, impacting recruitment and cost of employment. 70% of firms reported that recruitment difficulties are limiting their ability to take on work – a 5% increase from last summer.
