New home registrations in London experienced a significant decline of 27% in 2025, according to the National House Building Council (NHBC), a leading warranty and insurance provider in the UK. In total, the NHBC reported 115,350 new home registrations nationwide, marking an increase of approximately 11% compared to 103,669 in 2024. Despite the overall rise, London’s downturn highlights ongoing challenges in the housing market.
The NHBC, which holds over 70% of the UK market for new build warranties, emphasized that its data reflects the volume of homes in the pipeline, as properties must be registered before construction begins. Daniel Pearce, the Corporate Strategy Director at NHBC, noted that while there are signs of increased building activity, the total number of new homes remains below long-term averages. He stated, “Our latest figures show increased home building activity, although the volume of new homes built remains below long-term averages.”
Despite the overall increase in registrations, the private sector saw a notable rise of 12%, with 75,227 new homes registered in 2025, up from 67,265 in the previous year. Additionally, the rental and affordable housing sector experienced a 10% increase, reaching 40,123 new homes, compared to 36,404 in 2024.
Yet, London stood out for its decline, with only 4,723 new registrations recorded last year, down from 6,451 in 2024. The NHBC attributed this fall to persistent affordability challenges and ongoing economic uncertainty in the capital. The report noted that new apartment registrations across the UK fell by 2%, with 16,631 new apartments registered in 2025, down from 16,937 in the previous year.
Pearce remarked on the situation in London, stating, “We’re increasingly hearing of house builders reducing their operations in London, citing regulatory challenges and costs. Set against a decline in affordable housing delivery and a backlog of building control applications, it is unsurprising apartment registrations fell in 2025.”
Overall Trends in Home Registrations
The NHBC also reported a slight decline in new home completions, which fell by 2% annually. In total, there were 122,012 completions in 2025, compared to 124,272 in 2024. Pearce expressed concern that while planning reforms and addressing the skills shortage could aid house builders, resolving affordability issues for potential home buyers remains critical for stimulating demand and boosting construction activity.
Below are the numbers of new home registrations for various regions in 2025, along with the annual changes:
– North East: 5,937 (+4%)
– North West: 10,182 (+11%)
– Yorkshire and the Humber: 8,310 (+11%)
– West Midlands: 11,216 (+29%)
– East Midlands: 13,814 (+17%)
– Eastern England: 16,186 (+24%)
– South West: 12,647 (+17%)
– London: 4,723 (-27%)
– South East: 16,957 (+7%)
– Scotland: 9,566 (+4%)
– Wales: 3,100 (+10%)
– Northern Ireland and Isle of Man: 2,712 (+1%)
These figures illustrate the diverse landscape of the UK housing market, with London facing unique challenges compared to other regions. The NHBC’s insights shed light on the complexities within the housing sector, emphasizing the need for effective solutions to address the ongoing issues affecting both builders and home buyers.
