Ellis Osborn, ecommerce manager at IronmongeryDirect, said: \u201cAs we begin a new year, it\u2019s always useful to look back to reflect on our industry\u2019s challenges and successes, and the latest government data suggests we\u2019re in a positive place moving into 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the value of construction output fell slightly (0.5%) in October to \u00a315,485m, this was largely due to planned work being delayed by bad weather, and the figure is still 1% up compared to the same month last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of workers in the sector has also risen over the last 12 months, and now stands at 2.25m, which is 36,000 more than in 2022, representing a 1.6% increase.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest increase in workforce was seen in the West Midlands, where there are now 29% more employees. The South East takes second place, with a 10% rise, and remains the most popular place for construction workers, with 350,000 in total.<\/p>\n
\u201cInterestingly, a significant proportion of the growth has been seen in the self-employed section of the industry. At 310,000, the current number is the highest it’s been for four years, and is 22% higher than it was 12 months ago. The amount of female self-employed workers has doubled to 24,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith vacancies dropping \u2013 they’re currently 28% lower than at this stage in 2022 \u2013 this suggests that companies feel confident and have recruited for the positions they need ahead of the new year.”<\/p>\n
Sources:<\/p>\n