UK construction activity contracts for fourth straight month as costs rise

Poor start to year comes after bounceback in last three months of 2024 fizzled out

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UK building companies have suffered a poor start to the year, with activity contracting for a fourth month in a row in April as new work dried up while cost pressures remained high, according to an industry survey.

Construction companies continued to struggle after two years of depressed activity that industry executives had expected would end with Labour's election victory last July.