The data echoes a strong reading from Markit's PMI output index for February.
The output index slumped to a record low of 41.2 from 47.6.
The factory output index also rose to its highest in more than 15 years, hitting 61.9 from 59.8 in February.
Chris Williamson (@WilliamsonChris) April's PMI Output Index for UK manufacturing was the 3rd highest ever (since 1992).
Today, the government released figures showing that the nation's so-called output index had fallen to its lowest level in seven years.
The key eurozone PMI composite output index, measuring both manufacturing and services, plunged this month at its fastest pace for two years – from 49.1 to 47.2.
The BDO's output index – a measure of orders that firms have on hand – slumped to 99.7 last month, from 100.6 in April.
"The decline in the headline economy-wide output index from 54.0 to 53.5 was in contrast to the consensus and our own expectation of a small rise.
An output index for manufacturing and services compiled by Markit, a research group, recorded a reading of 48.6 in January.
Markit's composite output index — which tracks sales, employment, inventory and prices — rose to 51.7 in August from 50.5 in July.
A preliminary reading of the euro zone P.M.I. composite output index, compiled by Markit, an information provider in London, was unchanged from July at 51.1.
