UK Construction Activity Falls for 12th Straight Month

The S&P Global UK Construction PMI rose to 46.4 in January 2026, rebounding from December’s five-and-a-half-year low of 40.1 and exceeding market expectations of 42.0. While this marked the strongest reading since June 2025, the index signaled a continued contraction in construction activity. House building was the weakest-performing segment, although the rate of decline eased to its slowest pace in three months. Civil engineering activity also contracted sharply, while commercial construction showed the smallest decline since May 2025, as some firms cited improved post-Budget clarity and a modest recovery in investment sentiment. Total new orders fell at the slowest rate in three months, suggesting early signs of stabilization, though employment continued to decline at a marked pace. On the cost side, input price inflation accelerated to a four-month high. Business optimism improved to its strongest level since May 2025, but confidence remained well below its long-term average.

The S&P Global UK Construction PMI rose to 40.1 in December of 2025 from the over-five-year low of 39.4 in the previous month, but the reading still reflected a full year of monthly contractions for the second-sharpest decline since the Covid pandemic shock to the sector. Companies in the sector cite fragile confidence for clients that resulted in a sharp reduction in new orders to replace completed projects. Surveyees also noted that clients delayed investment decisions due to uncertainty of how the UK's new Budget would alter their sales pipelines. Civil engineering activity fell sharply (32.9 vs 30 in November), while both housing activity (33.5 vs 35.4) and commercial construction (42 vs 43.8) dropped the most since May 2020. Still, over one third of the sector forecasted improved conditions next year, ahead of one fifth that predicted a decline, with firms citing new work in the utilities sector and broad support form lower interest rates.

The S&P Global UK Construction PMI fell to 39.4 in November 2025 from 44.1 in October, pointing to the steepest downturn in UK construction output for five-and-a-half years, amid challenging market conditions. New orders also decreased to the greatest extent since May 2020. Many construction companies commented on weak client confidence, alongside delayed spending decisions linked to uncertainty ahead of the Budget. Housing activity (35.4), commercial construction (43.8) and civil engineering (30.0) all experienced the fastest downturns in activity for five-and-a-half years. Survey respondents commented on fragile market confidence, delays with the release of new projects and a general lack of incoming new work. Employment also declined at the steepest rate since August 2020 and business optimism was the weakest since December 2022.