Great Britain’s construction output was 0.7% lower in the third quarter than in the previous three months, with private new housing the largest drag, even as September registered a monthly rise, official data showed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report compares July through September with April through June. It also records a 0.8% increase in September from August, following declines in each of the four preceding months. The monthly improvement describes the latest point in the series; it does not change the weaker result across the full quarter.
Separate data on construction contracts showed new orders were £107 million higher in July through September than in April through June, a 1.2% increase. Public other new work and private commercial work accounted for most of the gain. The order measure covers contracts awarded for new construction work, while output measures activity in the industry; the changes refer to different indicators.
Quarterly movement varied by work type. New work declined 1.6%, while repair and maintenance increased 0.5%. Five of the nine sectors recorded lower output. Private new housing was down 4.7%, the largest negative contribution to the quarter’s total. The figures show a decline across several sectors alongside growth in maintenance.
The September rebound included gains across both work types: new work rose 0.9% and repair and maintenance increased 0.6%. Infrastructure new work rose 3.3%, contributing most to the monthly increase in new work. These monthly gains contrast with the quarterly results, when new work fell and maintenance rose.
The price measure covers the United Kingdom, while the output figures refer to Great Britain. The UK construction output price index increased 3.2% over the year ending in September. The ONS scheduled its next construction output release for Dec. 11.
