British construction output fell an annual 7.9 percent in January, non-seasonally adjusted data showed on Friday.

Compared with December, output was 6.3 percent lower, the Office for National Statistics said.

Despite making up less than 7 percent of Britain's economy, weak construction output was the main drag on growth last year, pushing the country back into recession.

Surveys have also pointed to weakness in the sector. The Markit/CIPS construction index hit a three-year low last month, dragged down by falls in civil engineering activity and commercial work.

(Reporting by Christina Fincher)