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UK Construction Statistics 2026: Key Facts & Figures

31 key statistics and data points. Last updated: March 2026.

This page compiles the most important statistics from official sources. All data is sourced and referenced. Use freely with attribution.

Market Size

Metric	Value	Source
UK construction output	£213 billion	ONS, 2025 Q4
GDP contribution	6%	ONS national accounts
Growth forecast 2026	2.3%	Construction Products Association
New housing starts (2025)	178,000	NHBC
Infrastructure pipeline	£650 billion	National Infrastructure Commission

Employment

Metric	Value	Source
Total construction workforce	2.3 million	ONS Labour Market Survey
Self-employed workers	39%	ONS
Skills shortage roles	225,000	CITB CSN
Average site manager salary	£52,000	Indeed UK 2025
Apprenticeship starts (2025)	28,500	CITB
Female workforce percentage	15%	ONS
EU workers in UK construction	8%	Migration Advisory Committee

Health & Safety

Metric	Value	Source
Fatal injuries (2024/25)	45	HSE RIDDOR
Non-fatal injuries reported	54,000	HSE Labour Force Survey
Working at height fatalities	40%	HSE Fatal Five
Average cost per accident	£96,000	HSE cost estimation
HSE prosecutions (2024/25)	180+	HSE enforcement data
Construction ill-health cases	74,000	HSE Labour Force Survey
Days lost to injury/illness	3.2 million	HSE

Technology Adoption

Metric	Value	Source
Firms using digital tools	65%	KPMG/Autodesk survey
BIM adoption (Level 2+)	73%	NBS Digital Construction Report
Mobile device usage on site	89%	Viewpoint survey
Firms considering AI tools	47%	RICS 2025 survey
Paper-based documentation	35%	Construction Industry Survey
Drone usage for inspections	28%	Institution of Civil Engineers

Productivity & Costs

Metric	Value	Source
Average project overrun	28%	McKinsey Global Institute
Projects on time	31%	RICS/Arcadis survey
Projects on budget	25%	RICS/Arcadis survey
Rework cost percentage	5-15%	BRE/CIRIA
Admin time for site managers	30-40%	Field service research
Material waste percentage	13%	WRAP