The construction industry in Great Britain, including value of output and type of work, new orders by sector, number of firms and total employment.

The UK Construction Market Forecast Report Covers Industry Trends and is Segmented by Sector (Commercial Construction, Residential Construction, Industrial Construction, Infrastructure Construction, and Energy and Utility Construction) and by Key Regions (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). The Report Offers Market Sizes and Forecasts in Value (USD Billion) for all the Above Segments.

Quarterly non-seasonally adjusted type of work and regional data at current prices, Great Britain.

In 2024, the UK Construction Market reached $316.38 billion, and it is projected to surge to $439.04 billion by 2030 due to surge in infrastructure sector

The number of employees working in the construction industry in the United Kingdom has fluctuated significantly between 2019 and 2024. The most recent data shows that there were 2.06 million people working in the construction sector. Most employees in the UK construction industry are men, according to the same source.

The Residential Construction Market Report is Segmented by Type (Villas and Landed Houses and Condominiums and Apartments) and Key Cities (London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, and the Rest of the UK). The Report Offers Market Size and Forecasts for UK Residential Construction Market in Value (USD) for all the Above Segments.

Housing and non-housing repair and maintenance were the segments with the largest construction output in the United Kingdom in 2024. Those two sectors together amounted to over ** percent of the industry. Meanwhile, the output of new private housing construction amounted to **** percent. The output volume of infrastructure in the past five years has been higher than in previous decades. A look at the construction output index for new private housing shows that output increased in 2021 and 2022, but it has fallen after that. Construction GVA increasingAn increased output also translated into a growing contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP). In the fourth quarter of 2024, the construction industry had a gross value added of nearly ** billion British pounds. That value reached a low point during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, the overall GDP of the United Kingdom was valued at over **** trillion British pounds. Private housing construction expected to declineThe output of the private housing sector was forecast to increase significantly in 2025. The few years after that, the output of private housing construction is expected to keep increasing but at a slower rate. The average price of houses in the UK increased noticeably in 2024, higher demand for and higher prices of housing generally incentivize the housing sector.

In 2021, the construction industry in the United Kingdom (UK) is forecast to spend close to one billion U.S. dollars on software. By 2024, the construction industry's spending is projected to increase to around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars.

Quarterly new orders at current price and chained volume measures, seasonally adjusted by public and private sector. Quarterly non–seasonally adjusted type of work and regional data.

Residential building contractors are contingent on the propensity of property developers to invest in new ventures; movements in property prices; government schemes intended to boost the housing supply; and underlying sentiment in the housing market. Industry contractors have endured turbulent operating conditions over the past five years, leading to volatile shifts in revenue and profitability. Revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 1% over the five years through 2024-25, reaching £97.4 billion. The pandemic caused a significant drop in output in 2020-21, as restrictions placed on on-site activity and fewer enquiries for new housing units reduced revenue opportunities. Aided by government support for the housing market and the release of pent-up demand, 2021-22 was characterised by a strong rebound in activity, though materials and labour shortages maintained constraints on output. Mounting supply chain disruption and heightened economic uncertainty maintained pressure on output in the following year, though revenue growth was maintained by growth in average selling prices. Interest rate hikes and inflationary pressures led to a more subdued housing market in 2022-23, holding back the number of housing starts and completions during the year. This was followed by a slump in new residential building construction in the following year, as high borrowing costs and uncertain market conditions caused developers to scale back investment plans. Revenue is set to grow by 1.5% in 2024-25, aided by a slight improvement in new orders for residential building construction and an uptick in average selling prices. Revenue is slated to climb at a compound annual rate of 1.5% to reach £105.1 billion over the five years through 2029-30. Housebuilding activity is set to grow in the medium-term, aided by the release of pent-up demand. Nonetheless, significant uncertainty remains, with mortgage rates likely to settle well-above pre-pandemic levels and supply chains remaining fragile. The new government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million houses during the first five years of parliament will boost demand for industry contractors, though the full impact of this on growth prospects is dependent on the nature and extent of accompanying funding plans.

In 2024, the gross value added (GVA) of the construction industry in the United Kingdom amounted to almost *** billion British pounds, compared with ***** billion pounds in the previous year.

The UK construction market size was valued at GBP 398.68 million in 2025 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.19% from 2025 to 2033. The growth of the market can be attributed to the increasing demand for residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects, as well as government initiatives to support the construction industry. Key drivers of the UK construction market include the rising population, increasing urbanization, and need for new infrastructure. The government's focus on infrastructure development, such as the High Speed 2 (HS2) project, is also expected to boost market growth. Additionally, the growing adoption of sustainable construction practices and the increasing use of technology in the industry are expected to drive market growth. The market is expected to be supported by the government's initiatives to increase investment in infrastructure and the construction of new homes. However, the market is also facing some challenges, such as rising costs of materials and labor, and the impact of Brexit. Recent developments include: December 2022: The Access Group has announced that it has successfully acquired Construction Industry Solutions (COINS), enhancing its capacity to offer international software and services to businesses engaged in the construction industry., March 2023: The Department of Transport, UK, has announced over £40 billion of capital investment in transport across the next two financial years, which will drive significant improvements to rail and roads across our country.. Key drivers for this market are: Transport Infrstructure Investment. Potential restraints include: Shortage of Skilled Labor. Notable trends are: Increase in GVA of construction Industry.

Contractors required to provide ancillary civil engineering solutions have been impacted by trends in the wider construction sector in recent years. Following a period of robust growth, decaying housebuilding activity has had a knock-on effect on demand for enabling works. Along with the impact of economic uncertainty on commercial construction markets, this has offset the impact of government infrastructure investment to spur a contraction in revenue. Over the five years through 2024-25, contractors' revenue is forecast to tumble at a compound annual rate of 2.2% to £40.1 billion. Following a slump in revenue and profitability during the pandemic, work rebounded to drive strong revenue growth in 2021-22. This was aided by renewed infrastructure stimulus to get spades back in the ground and the release of pent-up demand following intermittent lockdowns. Ongoing supply chain disruption and soaring input costs throughout the construction sector have maintained cash flow difficulties. The wider economic slowdown and subdued housing market conditions has hit new orders, as downstream clients have displayed a degree of risk aversion. Revenue is forecast to decline by 4.1% in 2024-25. Revenue is forecast to climb at a compound annual rate of 0.9% to reach £42 billion over the five years through 2029-30. Housebuilding activity is forecast to remain subdued in the short term, as high borrowing costs and unfavourable economic conditions encourage investors to steer clear of the housing market. However, planning reform introduced by the government in pursuit of lofty housebuilding targets is intended to lead to new housing developments in the medium-term, boosting demand for enabling works. Private and public sector infrastructure investment is set to be increasingly geared towards the UK’s net zero agenda in the coming years, with the expansion of offshore wind farms set to drive demand for marine and coastal construction.

Economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures have spurred a degree of instability in the UK economy in recent years. This has spurred a reluctance among private investors to dedicate significant spending towards capital ventures, weighing on lead generation in commercial building construction markets. High construction costs and rising interest rates have led to further apprehension among property developers to engage in new ventures, though long-term government capital procurement frameworks have provided some resilience to wavering provate investemt. Revenue is slated to rise at a compound annual rate of 0.5% over the five years through 2024-25, reaching £22.8 billion. Aided by the release of pent up demand and a stronger than anticipated initial economic recovery from the pandemic, the industry recorded a strong rebound in new orders from pandemic-induced lows in 2021-22, particularly in private commercial and private industrial markets. However, capacity constraints and the impact of reduced new work volumes secured during the height of the pandemic limited output growth. Growth in new order volumes slowed in 2022-23, as economic uncertainty compounded and rising tender prices reduced the propensity of investors to commit to commercial real estate ventures. High borrowing costs continued to weigh on investor sentiment in 2023-24. However, a steady stream of work on projects procured through capital procurement frameworks, including Procure23 and the School Rebuilding Programme, is set to maintain revenue growth through the current year. Revenue is expected to increase by 6.6% in 2024-25. Revenue is slated to climb at a compound annual rate of 0.3% to reach £23.2 billion over the five years through 2029-30. The effects of the UK's economic slowdown will continue to bite in the near term, as weak order books limit remuneration. Input price inflation is set to continue to ease in the medium term. However, material costs are likely to remain elevated and a construction worker shortage will pressure profit. Commitments made by the government as part of capital procurement frameworks will continue to support demand for commercial building contractors in the coming years, while private sector order books should improve as borrowing costs come down.

Construction output work types and their percentage of all construction work in Great Britain. Contains monthly, quarterly and annual data.

The UK construction industry was severely impacted in 2020, due to the disruptions caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the subsequent lockdown measures. The industry contracted by 14% in real terms last year, following growth of 1.8% in 2019. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the construction industry contracted by 1.2% year on year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2021, following year-on-year (Y-o-Y) declines of 5.9% in Q4, 10% in Q3 and 36.2% in Q1 2020. Read More

Construction Output Price Indices (OPIs) from January 2014 to December 2024, UK. Summary.

An all-work summary of monthly construction output in Great Britain at current price and chained volume measures, seasonally adjusted by public and private sector.

Of the 120,870 building construction sector enterprises operating in the United Kingdom in 2022, the majority were businesses that employed less than five people. Building construction enterprises that employed between five and nine people numbered 8,775, while there were just 110 companies that employed 250 people or more.