WIREDGOV

Key Points

• This statistical bulletin provides users with the latest estimates of output in the construction industry for July 2014 and for New Orders for Q2 2014. Output is defined as the amount charged by construction companies to customers for value of work (produced during the reporting period) excluding VAT and payments to sub-contractors.
• There was estimated to be no growth in the seasonally adjusted estimate of construction output in July 2014 when compared with June 2014. By type of work there were however, variations with increases in infrastructure (3.3%), private commercial (1.0%) and total housing (0.8%); largely offset by a decrease in non-housing repair and maintenance (4.1%). Despite this decrease in June 2014 non-housing repair and maintenance was estimated to be at its highest level since the monthly series began in January 2010.
• The second estimate of GDP for Q2 2014 published on 15 August 2014 included an estimate of construction which showed no growth. For this publication, in line with national accounts revisions policy, no periods prior to July 2014 were open for revision, hence this estimate is unchanged.
• In July 2014, output in the construction industry showed continued year-on-year growth for the 14th consecutive month, increasing by 2.6%. However, this growth was the weakest since November 2013 (1.5%).
• New orders for construction in Q2 2014 was estimated to be 3.8% higher than in Q1. There were increases in infrastructure (20.8%), private commercial (9.6%), public new housing (7.3%), and public other new work (0.3%). Private new housing and private industrial fell by 6.3% and 1.9% respectively. Despite these falls the levels of these series were still higher than the downturn in this series which began in Q1 2009.