Housebuilders across the UK are intensifying calls for clarity on the Future Homes Standard, which ministers originally planned to introduce in early 2025.
Extended consultations and shifting timelines have left developers uncertain about how to prepare to build homes going forward, with little information being provided over the scheme.
Now industry leaders say the lack of direction is inflating costs and stalling progress on building greener homes.
Developers say delays are wasting years of preparation
The Future Homes Standard (FHS) was designed to deliver higher-performing, lower-carbon homes, but the timetable slipped after the government ordered further reviews on supply chain readiness and small builder capacity.
For firms that invested early, the delay has been costly and demoralising. Steff Wright, founder of Gusto Construction, said the industry has been left in limbo: “Many of us have already gone to significant lengths to prepare for the FHS… all of which feel very much in vain currently.”
The frustration comes against a difficult backdrop for the sector. A leaked OBR analysis last week revealed that annual housing supply is expected to fall from 260,000 to 215,000 homes by 2026–27, a 17% drop that could worsen affordability pressures.
Call for a voluntary Future Homes Standard to break the deadlock
To regain momentum, Wright and a coalition of developers, housing associations and suppliers are urging ministers to launch a voluntary Future Homes Standard.
Their proposal includes targeted stamp duty relief – removing the tax for homes built to the higher standard – to help buyers shoulder upfront costs while enabling developers to recoup investment.
Wright argues this could unlock stalled progress: “If a voluntary FHS was introduced, early movers would encourage manufacturers and installers to invest in products, skills and tools.”
The group has formally appealed to Housing Secretary Steve Reed and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, calling the plan a “simple, practical route” to end uncertainty without forcing unprepared firms to comply early.
Buyers missing out on warmer, cheaper-to-run homes
Campaigners stress that delays don’t just slow the industry – they keep households from benefiting from warmer homes, lower bills and healthier indoor air.
Wright pointed out that many builders already work to high voluntary performance standards, such as the AECB Standard, because the advantages are so clear.
“Warm homes that stay warm, clean indoor air, lower bills, and the ability to generate a good share of your own electricity,” he said.
With the UK facing a projected fall in new eco houses and no confirmed FHS timeline, developers warn that both climate progress and housing choice risk being compromised unless policy certainty is restored.
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