UK construction activity falls sharply in housebuilding slump, survey shows

Construction sector reports biggest contraction in September since early months of Covid pandemic

A slump in the building of new homes across the UK in September triggered the biggest fall in construction activity since May 2020, early in the Covid pandemic, according to a closely watched survey.

Engineering and infrastructure projects also suffered a sharp fall in activity that was partly blamed on the government pausing work on the HS2 rail link in the summer, before Rishi Sunak's decision at the Conservative party conference to cancel construction of the leg between Birmingham and Manchester.