New home registrations fall 18 per cent in the North East

New home registrations in the North East fell by 18 per cent in the third quarter of 2026, a sharper decline than the 13 per cent recorded across the UK.

Figures from the National House Building Council (NHBC) show 1,336 homes were registered in the region between July and September, down from 1,637 in the same period last year.

The total is also below the 1,421 registrations recorded in the third quarter of 2024, reversing last year's increase.

Across the UK, registrations fell to 26,231 from 30,279 a year earlier. Yorkshire and the Humber recorded a 27 per cent increase and the West Midlands a 10 per cent rise.

Developers register homes with the NHBC for warranty cover before building starts, so the figures measure homes entering the development pipeline. They do not count homes already started or completed.

The fall follows stronger regional construction figures earlier in the year. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) statistics published in September show work started on 9,340 new homes in the North East in the 12 months to June 2026, up 24 per cent on the previous year. Completions rose by 6 per cent to 8,320.

The two datasets cover different periods and measure different stages. The NHBC figures point to fewer homes entering the pipeline in the third quarter, but do not show that starts in the region have begun to fall.

Nationally, private-sector registrations fell by 8 per cent to 18,359 in the quarter. Rental and affordable registrations fell by 23 per cent to 7,872.

NHBC chief strategy officer Daniel Pearce says "the housing industry is at a critical point" and that "demand remains fragile, affordability is stretched".

Pearce calls the Government's proposed Your First Home scheme a "significant and welcome step". It would let first-time buyers purchase a new-build home with a 2.5 per cent deposit, with the Government lending a further 20 per cent of the cost.

"The Budget now needs to provide clarity on how this scheme will operate," he said.

The Government says it will set out the full details, including a household income cap and local property price caps, in the Budget.