Autumn Budget: what it means for construction

Will the Autumn Budget improve the conditions for construction projects to proceed? Join BCIS for a post-Budget briefing on what the Chancellor’s decisions mean for project viability, investment and the pipeline of work.

Hosted by James Fiske, our panel of BCIS chief economist Dr David Crosthwaite and senior economist Sam Parkin will examine how the government has balanced its fiscal rules with its commitments on housing and infrastructure, and what this could mean for construction costs, tender prices and workloads.

We’ll look at capital spending plans for health, education, defence and transport, and what they suggest about public sector work likely to come to market. We’ll also consider how the Budget supports delivery of the government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, including whether commitments are backed by funding and realistic timetables.

Costs will be a central theme. We’ll examine any announcements affecting employment costs, skills funding, energy and materials, alongside their implications for project budgets. For housing, we’ll consider measures affecting funding, planning and development costs, and whether they improve scheme viability.

We’ll assess the Office for Budget Responsibility’s economic forecasts and the bond market reaction, considering what they mean for borrowing costs, access to finance and investor confidence.

Using the latest BCIS five-year forecasts as a starting point, we’ll explore where the Budget could support or hinder the outlook for construction. With private investment weak, will the announcements give clients greater confidence to commit and help move stalled projects towards delivery?

Join us for BCIS’s assessment and the opportunity to put your questions to the panel.

Date: 12 Nov 2026

Time: 11am