Fourth quarter saw increase of 1%, as overall GDP rises nearly 2% year-on-year

UK construction output grew 1% between the third and fourth quarters of last year, according to revised estimates published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS had previously estimated construction ouput grew just 0.2% over the last three months of 2016.

Overall GDP for the period rose by 0.7% - unchanged from the ONS’ previous estimate.

UK output over 2016 as a whole rose 1.8% compared with the previous year.

UK GDP growth was spurred on in the final quarter of 2016 by strong consumer spending, although the ONS noted a slowdown within business investment, which fell by 0.9%.

And figures that may be highlighted by those favouring the UK’s departure from the EU showed the country’s economy outperforming European and G7 countries in the fourth quarter of last year, and even besting the US by 0.2 percentage points.