UK housebuilding: ONS publishes second-quarter 2026 statistics
The Office for National Statistics has published its latest release on new-build housing starts and completions by UK country. The publication notice identifies the measures covered but does not include numerical results.
By James Fenwick, Housing Policy ReporterPublished 
Key facts
- The Office for National Statistics published its second-quarter 2026 UK housebuilding release on 24 October 2026.
- The ONS release covers permanent new-build dwellings started and completed by UK country.
- The ONS describes the data as quarterly and annual, with time series information.
- The GOV.UK publication notice does not include numerical results for starts or completions.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its UK housebuilding indicators for the second quarter of 2026 on 24 October 2026, covering new-build housing activity across the UK.
The release brings together quarterly and annual information, alongside time series data, according to the ONS publication notice. This provides a longer reporting framework than the latest quarter alone.
What do the UK housebuilding indicators cover?
The ONS says the statistics cover permanent new-build dwellings started and completed, with a breakdown by UK country. Starts and completions are reported as separate measures rather than a single housebuilding total.
The GOV.UK notice does not reproduce the numerical results. It therefore does not establish how many homes were started or completed in the second quarter of 2026, or whether either measure increased or decreased. Those findings cannot be inferred from the release title.
England’s planning changes provide the policy backdrop
Separately, the government has extended the legacy local plan submission deadline to March 2027 for qualifying English authorities. That change concerns the timetable for submitting plans under the older system, rather than a reported count of homes built.
The government has also published a ministerial letter setting out priorities for planning inspectors under England’s new National Planning Policy Framework, highlighting housing supply and economic growth. Both planning developments concern England, while the ONS release covers the UK by country.
ONS states its commitment to impartial statistics
The publication is designated as Official Statistics. In the accompanying notice, the ONS states that official statistics are produced impartially and independently of political influence; the notice contains no assessment of housebuilding performance or reaction from the development industry.
Where the detailed results are published
The GOV.UK notice directs readers to a separate release on the ONS website for the housebuilding statistics. It gives no date for a subsequent update, so it does not establish the next publication milestone.
Questions and answers
- When were the Q2 2026 UK housebuilding statistics published?
- The Office for National Statistics published the release on 24 October 2026.
- What do the ONS housebuilding statistics measure?
- The release covers permanent new-build dwellings started and completed. The ONS reports starts and completions as separate measures.
- Do the housebuilding figures cover the whole UK?
- Yes. The ONS release covers the UK and presents starts and completions by country.
- Are the ONS housebuilding figures quarterly or annual?
- The ONS publication notice says the release includes both quarterly and annual information, together with time series data.
- How many homes were completed in Q2 2026?
- The GOV.UK publication notice does not provide a completion total. It directs readers to the separate ONS release containing the statistics.
- Did UK housebuilding rise or fall in Q2 2026?
- The publication notice contains no numerical results or comparisons, so it does not establish whether starts or completions rose or fell.
Why this matters
For buyers and others following housing supply, the ONS release separates homes started from homes completed and provides a country-level reporting framework. Its quarterly, annual and time series coverage offers different periods for examining new-build activity. However, the publication notice alone supplies no totals or comparisons, so it cannot support conclusions about whether delivery has accelerated, slowed or changed in any particular UK country.
Sources
This article is checked against its sources under our editorial policy. It is general information only and is not financial or mortgage advice. See our corrections policy to report an error.
Related coverage
