Construction trade bodies have relaunched the Get Britain Building campaign, calling for urgent action to get Britain building again after the Autumn Budget.

The campaign, developed by the Building Alliance and the Federation of Master Builders, sets out four pillars aimed at driving economic growth. Its programme focuses on creating skilled employment, strengthening the construction supply chain and increasing the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, whose contribution the campaign describes as essential to the health and resilience of the sector.

The relaunch follows the Autumn Budget, and the campaign argues that building more homes and investing in construction is the fastest way to deliver growth, jobs and stronger local economies.

What the campaign is asking for

The Building Alliance welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement of the Your First Home Scheme, which is aimed at helping first-time buyers, but said other measures were also needed and urgent action was required.

Mike Leonard, chief executive of the Building Alliance, also welcomed the clarity given on how the previously announced £39 billion for housing will be allocated. But he warned that a programme stretching to 2039 would do little to address the immediate pressures facing the housing market unless investment was brought forward.

The Government has promised to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament. The campaign argues that target cannot be met without a long-term skills plan and stronger support for the small builders who deliver much of the country's housing.

Leonard pointed to the Prime Minister's agenda focused on reindustrialisation, tackling youth unemployment and growing the economy, and said the construction industry was ready to play its part. The campaign also notes that the Future Homes Standard, which will reshape new-build housing, is due to come in from 2028.

A long-running campaign

Get Britain Building is not a new idea. Trade bodies have used the banner for years to press governments of all parties to back SME builders and UK manufacturers of building products. The latest relaunch comes at a difficult moment for the sector, with the Building Alliance warning that weak demand is contributing to factory closures and job losses across the construction supply chain.

The campaign's case is that construction delivers a strong multiplier effect: money spent on UK-produced materials and local builders stays in local economies, supporting jobs well beyond the building site itself.

"If Britain wants growth, resilience and skilled employment, the time has come to Get Britain Building," Leonard said. The campaign is now pressing ministers to turn the Budget's promises into tangible investment, and to do so quickly.