Construction output fell for the second month running in May, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.
Monthly output stood at £13.96bn, a drop of 0.8 per cent, which followed a 0.7 per cent decline in April.
The falls followed two months of exceptionally strong growth in February and March, of 3.7 per cent and 4.7 per cent respectively.
Output in May was roughly equal to the last month before the pandemic hit when, in February 2020, it also stood at £13.96bn. The figure was lower than any month in 2019, however, when it consistently topped £14bn.
New work declined by 0.4 per cent in the month while repair & maintenance dropped by 1.5 per cent.
Federation of Master Builders chief executive Brian Berry said: “I am particularly concerned by the drop in repair, maintenance and improvement activities, given the high demand for home-improvement works that builders are reporting. Action must be taken to address the national materials shortage, as this is restricting builders’ ability to build back better and greener.”
Fraser Johns, finance director at…
