About 32% of UK construction businesses expected to increase their selling prices in October 2026, according to figures attributed to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in a 5 October summary by the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA). The figure describes firms’ expectations—not confirmed price rises or the size of any increase—and the summary says it was the highest level since February 2023. RPSA summary.
What the October figure says—and what it does not
The reported 32% is the share of construction businesses that expected to raise selling prices in October 2026. It is not a measure of how much prices would rise, and it does not show that every business in that group went on to increase prices. Nor does it mean the remaining businesses expected to cut prices: the available summary does not give the full response breakdown.
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The RPSA summary, dated 5 October 2026, attributes the figure to ONS and says it was the highest level since February 2023. The original ONS table and the exact survey question, response base and methodology are not established in the available account, so the statistic should be read with that attribution and qualification.
Which costs are putting pressure on construction firms?
The RPSA account identifies rising oil, energy and labour costs as pressures affecting the construction supply chain. It does not quantify the contribution of any one cost, provide a cost index, or establish how those pressures differ between trades or regions. The reported expectation to raise selling prices therefore signals pressure, but does not show how much of it any particular firm can pass on to customers.
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The same summary reports that 28% of trading businesses said their turnover fell in August 2026, attributing that figure to ONS. Its wording does not establish that this was a construction-only result, so it should not be treated as a construction-sector rate. The summary also does not demonstrate that falling turnover caused firms to expect price increases; these are separate reported measures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why smaller subcontractors are a concern
The summary describes smaller subcontractors as especially exposed to financial strain and insolvency. This is qualitative context, not a measured insolvency rate or a forecast. It does not identify affected companies or quantify how many are at risk. Cost increases can squeeze a contractor’s margin when contract prices are fixed, but the account does not provide figures showing the scale of that effect.
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How to read the report
- Expected prices are not observed inflation: the October figure records an expectation to increase selling prices, not a confirmed increase in market prices.
- The turnover measure has a broader stated population: the 28% figure refers to trading businesses, not specifically construction businesses.
- Cost pressures are named, not apportioned: oil, energy and labour are cited, but their individual effects are not measured in the summary.
- The figures are reported second-hand: the RPSA monitor summary reports Construction News coverage and attributes the data to ONS; the underlying Construction News story and ONS release were not independently verified for this account.
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