UK construction output update

Construction output in the UK increased by 1.5 per cent in April 2015 compared to the year before, marking the 23rd consecutive month of YoY growth but at the weakest rate since November 2013.

Output was down by 0.8 per cent in April 2015 compared to the month before, after increasing by 1.4 per cent in March 2015, latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows.

Repair and maintenance (R&M) decreased by 4.8 per cent while all new work increased by 1.6 per cent.
Within the R&M category, all work types reported decreases, notably non-housing R&M which fell by 7.2 per cent and public housing R&M which fell by 6.2 per cent. Within all new work, new housing was the main contribution to the increase of 1.6 per cent in April 2015 compared with March 2015, increasing by 5.4 per cent with both public and private housing reporting increases.

The ONS has changed the way it calculates price changes in the construction sector and the way it adjusts its data for seasonal factors such as the timing of public holidays. With previously unseen data included as well, the ONS now estimates construction output fell just 0.2 per cent in the first quarter, rather than by 1.1 per cent as previously estimated.

New orders for the construction industry in 1Q15 were estimated to have increased by 0.4 per cent compared with 4Q14 and by eight per cent compared with 1Q14. There were increases in infrastructure (18.6 per cent), private industrial (6.1 per cent), new housing (1.2 per cent) and all other work (0.1 per cent) in 1Q15.