Construction shows five-year record drop
12th June 2018

Construction output saw the biggest quarterly fall since 2012, with figures to April showing a 3.4% decline on the previous quarter, according to figures published by the ONS yesterday (June 11).

The drop was driven by falls in both repair/ maintenance and new work, which fell 3.0% and 3.7% respectively.
However, following three consecutive months of contraction in the month-on-month series at the start of 2018, construction output experienced a slight bounce-back in April, increasing by 0.5%.

Total construction new orders also decreased in Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar), falling by 4.6%, driven by the continued fall in all other work new orders.

The report adds that, following consecutive periods of month-on-month growth in the final two months of 2017, construction output reached a record high, peaking at a level that was 30.3% higher than the lowest point of the last five years – April 2013. Despite three consecutive periods of month-on-month decline at the beginning of 2018, and with the slight bounce-back in April, construction remains 23.4% above its 2013 low-point.