Urgent action is needed to address the slump in construction output demonstrated in S&P Global/CIPS UK Construction PMI data for February 2025, which shows the fastest downturn since the start of the pandemic, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, commented: “Today’s figures only confirm the alarming trend which builders across the UK have been experiencing for months. We’re seeing construction output falling at its fastest rate in almost five years, at the heart of the pandemic, and with input cost inflation also rising fast, already fragile market confidence is likely to take yet another hit. This echoes the FMB’s State of Trade Survey for Q4 2024 which found workloads, enquiries and employment numbers were all down, and that materials costs are rising fast."
Berry continued: “With New Work down sharply, particularly in the house building segment, the Government needs to take urgent action to reassure builders and consumers if they are serious about meeting their targets. Urgent steps are needed to diversify the housing market, and give SME builders the opportunity to step up and build the homes on the smaller sites which the major volume housebuilders can’t reach. We need to see greater resource given to local authority planning departments to support the small builders who stand ready to deliver the homes we need."
