Construction output declined 0.4% in March

Monthly construction output is estimated to have decreased 0.4% in volume terms in March 2024, per ONS data. According to the organisation, this fall came from decreases in both new work (0.7% fall) and repair and maintenance (0.1% fall).


At the sector level, five of the nine sectors saw a fall in March 2024, with the main contributors to the monthly decrease seen in infrastructure new work and non-housing repair and maintenance, which decreased 3.6% and 2.4%, respectively.

Additionally, quarterly construction output saw a decrease of 0.9% in Q1 2024 compared with Q4 2023, this came solely from a decrease in new work (1.8% fall), as repair and maintenance increased by 0.3%.

Total construction new orders increased 15.9% (£1,436m) in Q1 2024 compared with Quarter 4 2023; this quarterly increase came mainly from private commercial new work and public other new work, which increased 27.9% (£700m) and 43.8% (£536 million), respectively.

Construction output is estimated to have decreased 0.9% in volume terms in Q1 2024. This follows the same level of fall (0.9%) in Q4 2023. Both these quarters are the largest negative growth in the quarterly data series since Q3 2021 (1.8% fall).

Anecdotal evidence received from returns for the Monthly Business Survey for Construction and Allied Trades (MBS) suggested mixed effects of wet weather decreasing output, but improvement across some sectors within construction because of warmer weather. The Met Office confirmed in their monthly climate summary that March 2024 was unsettled, wet and dull, and saw cooler weather give way to warmer weather during the month.
www.ons.gov.uk