September Construction Update from the Department for Business & Trade

The Office for National Statistics published estimates of construction output for July 2023 this morning.

• Monthly construction output is estimated to have decreased 0.5% in volume terms in July 2023; this follows a 1.6% increase in June 2023, with the monthly value in level terms in July 2023 at £15,546 million.
• The decrease in monthly output came solely from a 1.3% decrease in repair and maintenance, with new work increasing 0.1% on the month.
• At the sector level, five out of the nine sectors saw a fall in July 2023, with the main contributors to the monthly decrease being private housing repair and maintenance, and private housing new work, which decreased 3.9% and 2.2%, respectively.
• Anecdotal evidence suggested the effect of heavy rainfall and lower-than-average temperatures in July 2023 leading to delays in planned work; additional evidence indicated a continued slowdown in the housing sector.
• Alongside the monthly decrease, construction output was flat in the three months to July 2023; this came from a 0.3% increase in new work, offset by a 0.4% decrease in repair and maintenance.

Download the latest Monthly Construction update for the Department for Business & Trade here.