Construction, as with the majority of sectors, has suffered a considerable decrease in activity since the advent of COVID-19 in March 2020. The adoption of stringent safety measures combined with sheer hard work throughout the industry saw an admirable recovery towards the end of the year and the start of 2021, when the most recent lockdown prompted another setback.
However, it has been reported that output rose by 1.6% in February, marking the second monthly rise in 2021, this time driven by a resurgent commercial sector.
The construction industry still stands head and shoulders above all other sectors as the fastest-growing part of the economy.
Not even a downward revision of January’s figure could take the shine off another strong month of growth for Britain’s builders.
While new work was 7.8% below the February 2020 pre-Covid level, repair and maintenance work was 2.2% above the watermark level joining infrastructure as a fully recovered sector.
What will feed growing optimism among major building contractors is the strong rise in commercial new work which jumped 4% in February.
Office of National Statistics – revisions to 2020
Statisticians at the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have revised down output for last year.
Latest annual, all work, construction output growth has now been marked down 1.5% from an annual fall of 12.5% in 2020 to an annual fall of 14%.
This is now a record annual fall in construction output growth since annual records began in 1997. The previous record decline was negative 13.2% in 2009.
FASET – Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training – has long been a foundation in supporting its members with expert quality guidance, dedicated working at height training and exclusive membership benefit schemes all with the intention of promoting a safer way of working. We take a keen interest in the latest industry developments, particularly with regards to COVID-19, Brexit and the environment. The gradual but definite recovery in the construction sector is extremely pleasing to see and bodes well for the supply chain as a whole.
