Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announcement of the Your First Home scheme this weekend gives hope to the building materials sector.

The industry has welcomed the news of the Your First Home scheme, which will support first-time buyers purchasing new build homes. It is being viewed as a long overdue boost, where the fall in the number of new homes being built over the last four years has weighed heavily on demand.

John Carter, CEO of Stark UK, said: "It's a real win for the industry, and for everyone who has backed our Let's Get Britain Building Now campaign. We have been calling for targeted support to help first-time buyers onto the ladder, and government has listened.

"Your First Home will unlock demand, give housebuilders the confidence to bring forward new sites, and send a boost right through the supply chain, from skilled trades and merchants to manufacturers and local businesses."

For some, however, the stimulus package has arrived too late. Within the last 12 months, the BMF has seen 18 of its members go out of business, resulting in the loss of 1,197 jobs.

The BMF said it would be looking closely at the full details of the scheme, including impacts on Scotland and Wales, when specifics are announced by Chancellor John Healey in the Budget next month.

John Newcomb, BMF CEO, said: "We are currently in a four-year decline which has been deep and long. We wait to hear about the exact details of this scheme, but it's been clear that for too long house building has been stagnant, and help is needed to rebuild confidence.

"Construction is a vital element of the UK economy, and one that has a massive impact on the nation's financial position.

"The BMF has pressed for a stimulant for first-time buyers to be introduced, and it's good to see that the government is finally listening."

BMF manufacturing members are poised to act on any signs of an uptick in housebuilding, having allocated nearly £1.2 billion up to 2029, to expand capacity and capability across factories, production lines, and new processes to produce the materials and products that would support the government's housing ambitions.

Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, said: "House building completions in 2026 Q2 were 3.4% lower than in Q1 and 27.3% lower than five years ago, so it was clear that house building needed an urgent government stimulus.

"The CPA had been calling for a new first-time buyer equity loan scheme for new-build housing… Your First Home is an important step to prevent house building from falling further in the near-term and then to boost housing supply in the medium-term.

"Affordability is the key issue in more expensive parts of the country and Your First Home will help with this. However, in less expensive areas, the bigger problem is site viability, due to all the government's extra costs on house building.

"This also needs to be addressed if we are to see a significant ramp-up in house building in the next 12 to 18 months."

"Government now needs to set out the detail, and make sure these measures work for everyone, from national housebuilders, regional and SME firms and independent tradespeople. There must be a level playing field. Builders of every size have a vital role to play, and they need to work together to deliver the homes we so desperately need."

The announcement of the Your Home First scheme was followed by a further announcement by the government of plans to make it simpler for councils to take over empty homes to provide housing for those in need. In turn, these empty homes will no doubt need renovations and could be ideal properties to be retrofitted so councils can meet sustainability targets.

Carter, CEO of Stark UK, said: "The plan to bring 300,000 empty properties back into use is just as welcome. Retrofitting empty homes returns them to the market quickly, supports affordable housing in local communities and creates steady work for local trades."

Mark Hughes, NBG's Managing Director believes the building materials sector has been hampered by a lack of incentive for housebuilders since the government's Help to Buy scheme closed in 2023.

"Making it easier for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder is an integral part of stimulating housebuilding so it's pleasing to see the government rolling out a scheme that will get the market moving again," he said.

"Your First Home represents the first tangible support new buyers have received from the government in years, and we're already seeing a boost in the building materials sector as a consequence, with a number of building material Suppliers reporting a jump in share price."

Housing affordability has been a significant challenge for prospective buyers, a demographic intrinsically linked to demand for the construction of new homes. 

Hughes continued: "This new scheme will help the housebuilding sector to grow and will hopefully stabilise some of the inconsistency felt by Suppliers that has become the norm in the last several years.

"Our network of independent merchant Partners will be working closely with our Suppliers to ensure all parties are well-placed to capitalise on every opportunity a revitalised housebuilding sector creates."

Allan Wright, Managing Director at Civils & Lintels, said: "Helping first-time buyers get their first foot on the property ladder has always been a crucial step in creating demand in the wider market and thereby driving confidence throughout the new build sector.

"Therefore, the announcement of Your First Home must absolutely be applauded, but, as always, the devil will be in the detail, so we'll be looking closely at what's announced in the Budget next month with much interest.

"Helping first-time buyers access new-build homes can give developers greater certainty to commit to a sustained housebuilding pipeline which, in turn, is positive news for merchants and manufacturers alike, allowing all to plan better, invest in stock and collaborate closely to ensure that materials are available where and when they're needed.

"Crucial to the success of this scheme will be how quickly a policy announcement translates into tangible activity on the ground, and we will also be seeking clarity on how this scheme fits alongside the wider housing targets that the Labour Government has been promoting since its election victory over two years ago.

"For now, let's view the announcement with optimism that, if it succeeds in giving both buyers and housebuilders greater confidence, there should be a positive knock-on effect right through the construction supply chain. I'll eagerly await the Budget on 28 October."

Further details are expected to be confirmed at the upcoming budget in October.