Top 150 Consultants 2026: What should Andy Burnham do to improve the government’s performance for the construction industry?

This year, as part of our exclusive Top 150 Consultants survey, we once again asked firms to rate the performance of the UK Labour government to support the built environment sector since 2024.

Compared with a year ago, the industry’s opinion of the government’s performance shows a clear downturn.

The percentage of firms saying the government’s performance is “poor” has increased from 23% to 31%, while those saying it is “very poor” increased from 5% to 13%. The percentage with a “neutral” opinion dropped 18 percentage points to 43%, suggesting a sizeable proportion of firms undecided last year have now stopped given the government the benefit of the doubt.

Just 13% of companies said the government’s performance has been “good” for the built environment and none at all described it as “excellent”.

Around two-thirds of the 164 respondents completed the survey before Keir Starmer’s resignation announcement on 22 June, so the oft-mentioned “Burnham bounce” would not have been in play for many of these responses.

It is also worth noting that, despite the drop, 43% are still “neutral” as opposed to negative.

So, what does the Burnham administration need to do to change the opinions of both the doubters and those on the fence?

All the Top 150 Consultants 2026 coverage

• Top 150 Consultants 2026: the main table
• Top 50 Architects
• Top 50 Engineers
• Top 50 Project Managers
• Top 50 Surveyors  
• Top 150 Consultants 2026: What have firms achieved by using AI?  
• Top 150 Consultants 2026: How to grow fee income in a volatile world
• AI is already paying off for consultants, but human oversight is becoming the differentiator
• The evolving role of cost management in an age of AI

Public sector investment certainty, planning/infrastructure reform and skills were once again ranked as the broad areas that consulting firms want to see the government prioritising. Within this, we gathered details on what exactly they hope for. We also asked firms to explain in more detail their opinions on the government’s performance to date.

We grouped the responses to these two questions into several themes. Together they offer a sense of the industry’s perspective on the Burnham administration and what it needs to do. 

Provide certainty of pipeline

Aecom: “A stable infrastructure pipeline, insulated from political cycles, is vital for attracting private finance, maintaining long-term certainty, and ensuring the efficient delivery of major projects.”

Turner & Townsend:  “Businesses are operating in an incredibly difficult environment, and we know the nature of the construction sector makes it particularly vulnerable to energy price shocks and interest rate hikes. Government, as the industry’s biggest client, must provide a clear, consistent pipeline of demand to support the sector.

“To have the most powerful economic impact with the resources available, the government should prioritise the programmes that have the greatest potential to unlock wider transformation, from investment in our digital economy through data centre development to advanced manufacturing and clean energy schemes.”

WT Partnership:  “[The government] needs to ensure that public sector investment certainty continues into projects/programmes.”

Review or reduce tax and regulation

Project & Building Consultancy: “Reverse national insurance and tax increases to drive forward business, help job creation and retain talent in the UK.”

Sidara: “Reducing employer and tax burdens would release funds for recruitment, skills and capital investment, while streamlined regulation would help net-zero projects progress.”

Whittam Cox Architects:  “Additional taxation and employment-related costs have increased overheads at a time when fee levels remain under pressure and are not necessarily rising in line with the increased cost of delivery.

“Making procurement regulations more efficient allows us to focus on value, rather than cost. Tax reform (particularly income tax and national insurance) is particularly important for consultants, where the bulk of our turnover is spent on staff salaries.”

Ryder Architecture:  “The Building Safety Act has been a sledgehammer; what was required was refinement and more scrutiny, not wholesale change.”

A multipronged approach is essential

The extent to which firms were positive about the government varied, but what comes across loud and clear is a clear view that Burnham must ensure Labour’s positive messages about the importance of construction and housing translate into meaningful action on the ground.

Most consultants are clear it will require a multifaceted approach.

A WSP spokesperson said: “Public sector investment certainty and planning/infrastructure reform sit at the apex… securing this foundation directly enables the rest – a visible pipeline gives firms the confidence to invest in skills growth, while procurement and tax reforms protect the thin margins needed to scale capacity.

“Ultimately, a stable, well-staffed sector provides the exact vehicle needed to successfully deliver long-term sustainability and net-zero mandates, proving that while all six priorities are essential, clear investment and planning triggers must come first.”

A Magnitude Quantity Surveyors spokesperson said: “The policies are moving in the right direction, but the sector needs delivery, speed and consistency, not just announcements. Until planning decisions, infrastructure approvals and project viability improve in practice, the government’s support for the built environment has to be viewed as positive in intent but limited in measurable impact.”

If the Burnham government’s policies fail to translate into measurable and visible action on the ground, don’t be surprised if there is a further increase in the proportion of consultants rating Labour as “poor” or “very poor”.