Quick answer
The RIBA Future Trends survey for September 2026 held the Workload Index at +1, unchanged from August: 24% of practices expect more work over the next three months and 23% expect less. Small practices of up to ten staff improved to -2 from -5, while medium and large practices fell to +19 from +29. Workloads are 9% lower than a year ago and staffing is 5% lower. Practices report clients pushing for lower fees while costs rise, and say uncertain workloads are hitting fee income and cash flow, which stretches the time between starting work and being paid.
What did the September survey show?
The September 2026 report, based on 256 practices and published after this article first appeared, held the Workload Index at +1: 24% of practices expect more work, 23% expect less and 53% expect no change. The permanent staffing index rose to +3 from -1.
- Small practices (1 to 10 staff) improved to -2 from -5, and their staffing index turned positive at +3, their first positive reading since the end of 2025.
- Medium and large practices fell to +19 from +29.
- By region. London recovered to +9 from -10, Wales and the West stayed the most positive at +11, and the South of England fell to -17 from -1.
- By sector. Private housing was unchanged at -5, commercial was +2, public work 0 and community work -4.
Workloads are still 9% lower than a year ago, and staffing 5% lower. The report adds that some clients are seeking fee reductions while practices are expected to absorb higher costs, that energy costs are rising, and that some clients expect AI to reduce the cost of architectural services. Its verdict: “The profession remains optimistic about the near-term future, but only by the slimmest of margins.”
What the August survey showed
The RIBA Future Trends survey for August 2026, based on 248 practices, recorded a Workload Index of +1. That is three points lower than July’s +4, which had ended three months of negative readings. The August report describes confidence as fragile and says a period of sustained recovery has yet to emerge.
- By size. Small practices (1 to 10 staff) were unchanged at -5. Medium and large practices combined fell to +29 from +49.
- By region. Wales and the West was the most positive at +16. London fell 16 points to -10, level with the North of England.
- By sector. Commercial returned to positive territory at +3. Private housing remained the weakest at -5, with public and community work at -1.
- Staffing. The permanent and temporary staffing indices both stood at -1, and staffing is 5% lower than a year ago.
Why it matters for practice cash flow
The report lists the pressures behind the numbers: low enquiry levels, intense fee competition, delayed decision-making by clients and planning delays. For a practice, each one has a cash effect. Lower fees reduce margin, slow decisions push back the next fee stage, and planning delays can leave work in progress unbilled for months.
The gap between larger and smaller practices matters too. Larger practices tend to have a broader spread of clients and sectors, and more reserves to carry a quiet quarter. A small studio relying on a handful of private housing clients feels a delayed decision or a planning hold-up far more sharply, and is more likely to need a buffer it can draw on at short notice.
This is where WIP finance and working capital are commonly used: to bridge the gap between the work done and the invoice paid. Where invoices are already out, aged debt and lock-up funding can release cash tied up in slow payers.
Investing through a flat market
Larger practices remain more optimistic than smaller ones, and a quiet patch is often when practices invest in software, training and the bids that win the next project. IT and software finance spreads the cost of CAD, BIM and rendering licences and the workstations that run them. PII premium finance turns a large annual premium into monthly payments, which matters more when fee income is uneven.
For practices planning to grow, take on a new partner or acquire another studio, growing a practice and partner buy-ins set out how such moves are usually funded.
Practical steps for owners
- Map each live project’s fee stages against expected dates, and flag those held up by planning or client sign-off.
- Chase older invoices before the year end and agree stage payments in new appointments.
- Check when your PII renews and how the premium will be paid.
- Arrange any facility while your accounts look steady.
Our guides to reducing lock-up and PII premium finance go further. We search the market across 300+ lenders for architecture practices, and Instant Quotes shows your matches in minutes, with no credit check.
Common questions
What is the RIBA Workload Index?
It is the balance of practices expecting more work over the next three months minus those expecting less. A positive figure means more practices expect workloads to rise than fall. In September 2026 it stood at +1, unchanged from August.
Are smaller practices more affected?
The September 2026 survey put small practices of up to ten staff at -2, up from -5 in August, while medium and large practices were at +19.
Can an architecture practice borrow against work in progress?
Some lenders will, depending on how fees are agreed and billed. WIP finance is subject to status and lender criteria, and we approach suitable lenders on your behalf.
Does checking my options affect my credit file?
No. Instant Quotes involves no credit search. A lender only runs its own checks, with your permission, if you choose to apply.
Official sources
Published 13 October 2026, updated 22 October 2026. Figures and dates are taken from the sources named and were correct on that date. This article is for general information only and should not be treated as legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Funding availability and lender requirements depend on individual circumstances.
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