Ahead of the chancellor’s Autumn Budget this week, the construction sector is looking for stability and clarity  - according to a new report from multidisciplinary consultancy Pick Everard.

Collecting data from professionals across the industry to uncover how the sector is reacting to cost pressures, policy uncertainty, skills shortages and evolving regulation, data has found 59% of respondents describe the construction industry as static.

Uncertainty around investment, planning reform and public spending has cooled confidence with Pick Everard saying industry is “holding its breath” waiting for clarity before committing to new stars or unlocking delayed capital projects.

Rachel Reeves will make her Budget announcement on Wednesday (26 November) presenting the government’s plans for the economy, including changes to taxation and spending.

Pick Everard's new report, Pre-Autumn Budget Construction Market Insight, said a significant share of respondents reported projects paused pending the Autumn Budget, with 35% saying some are under review and 31% saying several projects are on hold.

More than half (52%) of respondents also expect headcount and turnover to hold steady, signalling that the industry is not expecting significant growth but neither are they expecting recession.

The report also found 92% of respondents expect tender prices to increase over the next 12 months, with most anticipating a 1-6% rise.

But on a positive note, more than half of the respondents feel confident about their organisation’s outlook, with 44% confident, 8% very confident and 29% taking a neutral stance.

And in terms of announcements that could improve construction demand Pick Everard found several key areas including additional personnel to clear the Gateway 2 backlog, more public spending on education and healthcare, more capital expenditure on housing, schools, road and rail and pro-growth tax policies aimed at improving business confidence and supporting investment.

Gavin Mason, operations director at Pick Everard, said: “Ahead of the latest Autumn Budget scheduled, it appears the construction industry is looking forward to it more than the chancellor.

“Our latest survey shows a surprisingly upbeat outlook across the construction sector, with 81% expressing either positive or neutral expectations for business in 2026.

"As always, the data tells a variety of stories. Developers are notably less confident than consultants, clients, or contractors in their forecasts for 2026, citing the effects of taxation and end-user demand for new space as their primary concerns.

“When we asked respondents to offer a few words of advice for the chancellor, the opportunity wasn't missed, demonstrating an industry keen to help the government improve the performance of the sector.”

Click here to read the full report.