New work increased by 1.7% in January 2021 and was accountable for an uplift in private commercial and infrastructure, which grew by 4.5% and 3.1%, respectively
UK construction output rose by 0.9% in January 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This comes after construction output dropped 2.9% in December 2020.
However, the level of output in January 2021 was 2.6% below the February 2020 level.
Moreover, the level of new work was 6.4% below this level, while repair and maintenance work was 4.5% above this level despite a monthly fall.
New work increased by 1.7% in January 2021 and was accountable for uplift in private commercial and infrastructure, which grew by 4.5% and 3.1%, respectively.
Repair and maintenance fell by 0.4% in January 2021, which was due to a 4.7% drop in private housing repair and maintenance.
This drop is despite growth of 5.0% in public housing and 1.3% in non-housing repair and maintenance.
Looking at the data on a quarterly basis, construction output grew by 1.7% in the three months to January 2021, compared with the previous three-month period.
This was accountable to growth in both new work up 2.2%, and repair and maintenance rising by 0.8%.
Paul Fenner, head of construction at BDO, said: Construction output suffered a minor blip in December 2020, but the latest figures for January 2021 show that the sector’s recovery is back on track. The more positive figures reflect a growing confidence among construction firms that the worst is behind them.
Indeed, BDO’s latest survey shows that 85% of construction firms are feeling positive about their prospects for the year ahead. However, risks remain and firms will need to keep a tight rein on costs and maintain strict financial discipline as we enter a very uncertain period, he said.
Fraser Johns, finance director at Beard, added: These latest figures, while positive for the future of the industry, suggest there is still a little nervousness in the market. The construction industry has already shown incredible resilience in the second half of 2020, and this 0.9% increase in output at the start of 2021 is welcome news.
He said, while we are clearly not out of the woods completely, the green shoots of recovery are beginning to show. It was only at the end of February that we received some clarity about the roadmap out of lockdown.