The data revealed uncertainty around rising input prices and higher borrowing costs led to a decline in total new orders, placing at end to a 28-month period of sustained expansion.

While overall activity in the construction industry increased from September to October, the degree of optimism among construction professionals fell sharply as a result of falling volumes of new work and worries surround the longer-term economic forecast in the UK.

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) characterised the data as a ‘worry’ and a ‘reflection of growing nervousness in the building industry around future workloads’.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, remarked: “It is encouraging that the recent data shows a steady, but modest improvement in output in the construction sector.

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“While there has been a modest level of growth, the data highlights that the next few months will continue to be hard on the industry, with expectations of a fall in volumes of new work and concerns around the longer-term UK economic outlook.

“The data is a key indication on how the current economic climate is impacting the industry on a wider scale, which is why the FMB is calling on the government to prioritise investment in energy efficiency improvements, via a UK-wide national retrofit strategy, which would help create thousands of new jobs, boost regional economies, reduce energy bills, and help secure the UK’s energy supply.

“As an immediate boost, the removal of VAT on repair, maintenance and improvement work would immediately save consumers money and incentivise them to carry our more work which will reinvest into the industry.”