RIBA\u2019s September Future Workload Index slipped into negative territory at -2, its first fall below zero since January and continuing the downward trend seen since midsummer.<\/p>\n
Big players remain firmly on the front foot, with their combined Workload Index leaping to +39, the strongest reading in twelve months. Nearly half of these firms (46%) expect workloads to grow over the next three months, only 7% predict a fall, and the rest expect no change.<\/p>\n
Small practices tell a very different story. Their Workload Index dropped to -8, down from -5 in August, with just 18% expecting an increase and one in four anticipating a decline.<\/p>\n
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Across the regions, London (+9) and the North of England (+13) are still positive, but the rest of the country has turned downbeat. The Midlands and East Anglia tumbled to -16, Wales and the West slipped to -2, and the South of England slid to -9.<\/p>\n
Overall workloads are now 9% lower than this time last year \u2013 underlining a market where big commercial practices are holding steady while small domestic specialists face another tough winter.<\/p>\n
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