Are building material prices rising or falling?

This is the official UK building material price index, month by month since January 2021. It tracks what materials cost across the whole trade — so you can see whether now is a dearer or cheaper time to be buying.

Last 12 months to July 2026

+5.9%

Since January 2021

+43%

Index (2015 = 100)

166.3

Price level over time

Source: UK building materials and components statistics (Dept for Business & Trade, published 16 September 2026), all construction work, 2015 = 100. The last three months are provisional figures. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

What's gone up and down in the last year

Change in the 12 months to July 2026, by material group.

Risen most

  • Fabricated structural steelMetal products+20.9%
  • Pipes and fittings (rigid)Plastic products+15.5%
  • Pipes and fittings (flexible)Plastic products+11.7%
  • Concrete reinforcing bars (steel)Cement and concrete+9.2%
  • Gravel, Sand, Clays and Kaolin - incl Aggregate LevyAggregates+9%
  • Taps and valves for sanitarywareMetal Products+8.3%

Risen least or fallen

  • CementCement and concrete-3.5%
  • Electric water heatersOther building materials-1.5%
  • Imported sawn or planed woodTimber and joinery+0.1%
  • Plastic sanitarywarePlastic products+0.2%
  • Screws etcMetal products+0.2%
  • Ready-mixed concreteCement and concrete+0.6%

Buying at the moment?

Trade-wide figures tell you the direction. To see what your own list costs today, compare it merchant by merchant.

Compare your material list

Material prices by category · Calculators