It’s easy for regulatory updates to slip off the radar when you’re managing daytoday operations.
But one major change is still in the consultation phase, and the deadline for having your say is looming.
As many will already know, the government is consulting on creating a single construction regulator, merging oversight of:
- Building safety
- Construction product compliance
- Professional competence
- Enforcement and information‑sharing systems
The consultation has been live for a few months and closes on 20 March 2026. It will shape the way construction is regulated in the UK. You can read the prospectus on GOV.UK and respond by the government’s online portal or email.
Background
This proposal implements the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s first recommendation: bring fragmented functions under one regulator so the system is easier to police and harder to game.
The prospectus, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government in December 2025, lays out how this new oversight – supported by a more connected, digital‑first approach to data and casework – is expected to affect the industry.
And that impact will fall most directly on contractors, subcontractors, and specialist trades, who of course sit at the centre of how buildings are actually delivered, altered, and maintained.
Below are the key highlights for those working on site and in supply chains.
How the new proposals might impact contractors and subcontractors
1. A licensing system for principal contractors
The government plans to introduce licensing for principal contractors working on higher‑risk buildings. The document confirms that roundtables are already underway to design how the licensing system will operate.
This marks a shift from voluntary competence schemes toward a regulated permission‑to‑operate for certain types of work. Firms taking on the principal contractor role will need to show they have the right structures, skills, and supervision in place.
Licensed principal contractors will expect demonstrable competence from every subcontractor they appoint, meaning stronger vetting, stricter onboarding and less tolerance for informal arrangements.
2. Stronger, more consistent competence requirements
The prospectus explains that government doesn’t intend to stop at a handful of high‑risk professions. It states that competence and conduct need to be addressed across all those working in the built environment, not just regulated professions.
Main contractors will place greater pressure on their supply chains to evidence training, maintain up‑to‑date records and meet formalised competence standards before being allowed on site.
3. A tougher enforcement landscape
Throughout the document, the tone is explicit: the regulator is being designed to take decisive action where standards are ignored. The aim is to create a system where firms doing the right thing aren’t undercut by those taking shortcuts.
This includes:
- Clear, non‑negotiable standards
- The ability to respond quickly when work puts people at risk
- Real consequences for repeated or deliberate non‑compliance
Poor performance anywhere in the chain, at any tier, exposes the principal contractor to regulatory action, so firms will clamp down on non‑compliant subcontractors and demand much stricter documentation.
4. Changes to how building control interacts with contractors
Building control is under review by the Building Control Independent Panel, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt. The panel is examining whether commercial building control arrangements should continue and how conflicts of interest can be better managed.
Because the future regulator will eventually take on oversight of building control, contractors may see:
- More consistent interpretation of regulations
- Stronger competence requirements for inspectors
- Fewer regional variations in how compliance is handled
With more consistent inspections, subcontractors will have less room to navigate differing local practices – work needs to be right first time, across all regions, or it risks rejection.
5. Regulation of construction products – and accountability for how they’re used
The new regulator will take responsibility for construction product regulation, including oversight of testing and certification systems. The prospectus makes clear why: misleading product information, weak testing, and limited enforcement have contributed to unsafe choices in the past.
Critically for contractors, the government says it wants greater accountability not only for manufacturing but also for how products are selected and used on projects. This includes the development of:
- A publicly available library of test data
- Clearer information requirements for products
- Wider regulation covering all construction products
- Stronger powers to tackle non‑compliance
This will likely have day‑to‑day impacts on substitution, procurement, and evidencing that chosen products are appropriate for their intended use.
6. Digital requirements and data sharing
The regulator is intended to be digital‑first, bringing together currently separate systems such as building control records, product data, and professional information.
Over time, contractors can expect:
- More standardised digital submissions
- Fewer duplicated forms and processes
- Gradual automation of certain checks
SMEs will need to keep pace, but the intended benefit is a simpler, more consistent process.
Why this matters most to contractors and subcontractors
Of all sectors in the infrastructure ecosystem, the consultation’s proposals touch contractors and subcontractors most directly – because they sit between the design, product and regulatory layers. The document consistently highlights issues that arise during procurement, specification, installation and on‑site decision‑making.
Competence, enforcement, product choices, digital submissions, and building control interactions all point towards a more structured, more accountable working environment. For firms that already prioritise safety and clarity, this should create a fairer playing field. For those relying on informal or inconsistent systems, the adjustment will be significant.
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