The UK’s construction workforce is predicted to grow to 2.75m by 2029, with an annual average growth rate of 0.8%, according to CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook report.
Within that 2.75m figure, surveyors are expected to increase in number by 1.1% each year, reaching 72,010 by 2029. Every one of those will be needed to manage and maintain the standards of a projected construction output of £240bn.
We’ve highlighted these figures and more in a roundup of key data from several respected industry reports.
How many new homes are being created?
A report by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government states that: “Annual housing supply in England amounted to 208,600 net additional dwellings in 2024-25, a 6% decrease on 2023-24.”
“This resulted from 190,600 new build homes, 17,710 gains from change of use between non-domestic and residential, 3,850 from conversions between houses and flats and 1,080 other gains (caravans, house boats, etc), offset by 4,630 demolitions.”
Annual construction output
The table below breaks down the projected construction output of £240bn by 2029, by year and output sector. Between 2024 and 2029, the UK’s total construction output is estimated to increase by 11.2%.
New housing will account for £52.1bn of the 2029 figure, while repair and maintenance work (R&M) to existing housing will have a market revenue value of £48.6bn.
The next decade of infrastructure
The government’s infrastructure strategy 2025-2035 sets out plans to invest more than £725bn in the next decade, following an integrated approach to economic, social and housing infrastructure.
Among the headline pledges identified by the Institute of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) State of the Nation: Infrastructure in 2026 report are: “Transformation in the water sector involves creating nine large reservoirs – the first for 35 years – and several inter-catchment transfer pipelines.
“Transport projects will also place huge demand on the construction industry. The building of HS2 will extend into the mid-2030s, for instance, as will the multibillion-pound dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness.
“Work is expected to start this year on: the £6bn Bletchley-Cambridge section of East West Rail; the £10bn Lower Thames Crossing, linking the A2 in Kent with the M25 in Essex; and Gatwick airport’s expansion to a twin-runway operation.”
And on the subject of energy, the ICE report says: “In pursuit of energy security and decarbonisation, 100GW of generating capacity will be needed, plus adequate energy storage. Then there’s the planned addition of 1.5m homes, 35 hospitals and 20,000 prison places.”
How many surveyors will be needed?
If £725bn is going to be invested in infrastructure during the next 10 years, the UK is going to need plenty of skilled people to design, measure, manage and build it. This Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) data shows how certain professions are expected to grow each year.
What’s holding back productivity?
The latest RICS Construction Productivity Report suggests that increasing the workforce by the required amount each year might be easier said than done. Across all the global regions, the biggest factor hindering productivity is the availability of skilled workers.
Surveying is one profession in particular that needs to create a long-term plan for attracting new talent. And as luck would have it, that was precisely the subject of this recent Modus feature on inspiring the next generation of surveyors.
