Construction output dropped 2.6% in January this year when compared with the previous month, following a 0.6% rise in December. New work fell by 4.2%.

The figures have been released as part of the Office for National Statistics' latest report on the construction industry.

The statistics show that all new work types except private industrial work reported drops in January 2015. Private commercial fell by 6.6%, infrastructure by 2.7% and total housing by 5.0%. Public and private housing reported decreases of 18.4% and 1.3% respectively.

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The second estimate of GDP for Q4 2014 showed a fall in output of 2.1%. This estimate has been revised and output is now estimated to have fallen by 2.2%.

Compared with January 2014, output in the construction industry dropped 3.1%. This marked the first year-on-year decrease since May 2013, when it fell by 2.8%.

All new work and repair and maintenance fell by 2.7% and 3.7% respectively on the year. Private commercial fell 8.9%. Infrastructure fell 2.4% and public other new work by 2.3%. Total housing repair and maintenance dropped fell by 7.0%.

New orders for the construction industry in Q4 are estimated to have decreased by 2.9% compared with Q3 and by 2.3% compared with Q4, 2013.

Drops were seen in all work types except private industrial new work. The largest decreases were reported by public new housing (-13.1%), private commercial (-8.5%) and private new housing (-5.7%).

(IT)