Construction continues its catch-up

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures published on July 10, 2018, show that construction output increased 2.9% month-on-month in May.

This was the fastest monthly growth rate in two years, reflecting an uptick in activity following adverse weather conditions during the first quarter. Compared to a year earlier, output rose 1.6%, but contracted by 1.7% on a rolling three-month basis. This fall captures the £247 million drop in construction work in March during the Beast from the East.

Rebecca Larkin, senior economist at the Construction Products Association, said: “The construction industry appears to have caught up with some of the work lost in February and March due to the freezing ground conditions and snow disruption. Month-on-month gains were evident across all sectors, but were strongest in private housing repairs, maintenance and improvement, the third largest construction sector, due to warmer weather and longer days.

“Private housing newbuild was 8.4% higher than a year earlier, which points to strength in activity beyond basic catch-up as the industry enters the busier spring and summer selling season. However, for the year to date, overall construction output remains 0.3% lower than a year earlier, with particular weakness in public non-housing (mainly education and health) and commercial, where a significant fall in new orders signals smaller pipelines of work.”