Vacancies in the construction sector have risen despite a fall across the wider UK economy, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
Job openings in construction rose to 39,000 in the three months to March 2025 – up from 35,000 the previous quarter and 2,000 higher than the first quarter of last year, the ONS revealed today (15 April).
But the wider UK labour market cooled, with total vacancies across all industries falling for the 34th consecutive quarter to 916,000.
At the same time, average weekly earnings in construction rose to £741, an increase of 4 per cent compared with a year earlier. This is below the public sector average but higher than inflation, suggesting real pay remains in growth.
However, wage inflation has eased from the highs of 2022–23, when firms struggled to retain skilled tradespeople amid labour shortages and high attrition.
The construction pay growth figure includes bonuses and is not adjusted for inflation.
The latest available quarterly ONS data for employment in the construction sector only goes up to the final quarter of 2024, with a marginal increase from 2.2 million to 2.3 million.
Recruitment difficulties have eased from the extreme levels seen last year but remain above the long-term average, the ONS found.
It said that smaller contractors in particular have scaled back hiring, citing delays in planning approvals, a slowdown in housebuilding, and tighter client budgets.
Source: ONS