As the trade association and training body for the safety netting and temporary safety systems industry, FASET monitors the latest developments in the construction sector, particularly regarding worker health and safety, sustainability and equality.
The Office for National Statistics has published a provisional estimate of construction output for May 2021. The main points are as follows:
- Construction output fell 0.8% in May 2021 with the level of output remaining slightly above its pre-pandemic February 2020 level; new work and repair and maintenance both contributed to the monthly decline in May 2021 with anecdotal evidence from businesses suggesting the adverse weather conditions were a contributing factor.
- Monthly construction fell by 0.8% in May 2021 from a month earlier because of declines in both new work (0.4%) and repair and maintenance (1.5%).
- The level of construction output in May 2021 was 0.3% (£43 million) above the February 2020 pre-pandemic level; while new work was 3.5% (£320 million) below the February 2020 level, repair and maintenance work was 7.5% (£363 million) above the February 2020 level.
- In contrast to the monthly fall, construction output grew by 6.3% in the three months to May 2021 compared with the previous three-month period, with increases in both new work and repair and maintenance of 6.6% and 5.8% respectively.
- The increase in new work (6.6%) in the three months May 2021 was because of growth seen in all sectors, the largest contributors to this growth were private housing new work and infrastructure, which grew by 7.4% and 9.7% respectively.
- The increase in repair and maintenance (5.8%) in the three months to May 2021 was because of growth in non-housing and private housing repair and maintenance, which grew by 9.0% and 4.7% respectively.