IN Brief:
- All construction products would fall under designated standards or a general safety requirement.
- UK conformity assessment bodies would be licensed by the national regulator.
- Enforcement proposals include unlimited fines, imprisonment, and director disqualification powers.
The government has published a Construction Products Reform White Paper setting out proposals to overhaul how construction products are regulated across Great Britain. The package is structured around bringing every construction product into mandatory requirements through one of two routes: compliance with designated standards, or a risk-based general safety requirement (GSR) for products outside the designated-standards scope.
The White Paper sets out a timeline in which the GSR would be introduced using powers under the Building Safety Act 2022, with regulations targeted by the end of 2026 and an in-force date in late 2027, subject to parliamentary time. Alongside the GSR, the reforms include plans for legislation covering products governed by designated standards and technical assessments, intended to replace the existing regulatory framework derived from the EU Construction Products Regulation 2011.
A major strand of the reforms focuses on testing, certification, and oversight of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). Proposals include a licensing regime requiring all UK CABs operating in relation to construction products to obtain a licence from the national regulator, operate in the public interest, act independently, and manage conflicts of interest. The White Paper also sets out reporting obligations for known or suspected breaches, whistleblowing processes, and new transparency requirements, with a statutory code expected to underpin licence conditions.
The reforms also aim to improve product information, traceability, and the availability of safety-relevant data. Digital product records and identifiers are positioned as a route to standardise product information access and improve traceability from manufacture through installation and onward lifecycle phases, supporting accountability and enforcement.
On enforcement, the White Paper sets out a tougher sanctions model, including criminal penalties for breaches with the option of an unlimited fine, up to two years’ imprisonment, or both. It also proposes civil monetary penalties as an alternative route to prosecution, and the introduction of additional post-conviction sanctions, including director disqualification for up to 15 years and recovery of proceeds of crime.
The consultation on the White Paper is open until 20 May 2026, alongside a separate consultation on the GSR itself. The White Paper also links the construction products reforms to the transition towards a single construction regulator, with the Building Safety Regulator described as having transferred out of the Health and Safety Executive into a standalone body in January 2026, forming a foundation for broader regulatory consolidation.
