Collapse in housebuilding underscores challenge for government in meeting its target of building 1.5m new homes
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UK construction activity fell last month at the sharpest rate since the height of the Covid pandemic amid a collapse in housebuilding, underscoring the challenge facing the government to meet its 1.5m new homes target.
The figures from S&P Global Market Intelligence showed activity in the sector fell in July at the steepest pace since May 2020, during the first UK coronavirus lockdown.
The data provider said a sharp drop in residential building pulled down its monthly purchasing managers index (PMI) for the UK construction sector as a whole, alongside a plunge in civil engineering and softer downturn in the commercial sector.
