How’s the UK Doing?UK economic statistics, explained
How’s the UK Doing?

Is the economy growing?

Change in output on the previous 3 months, after inflation

0.5%

April to June 2026

Down from 0.6% in January to March 2026

Good signThe economy is growing at a steady quarterly pace.Why this signal?

Where this sits in the last 10 years Leaving out 2020 and 2021.
10-year low −0.3%10-year high 1.1%
Published
Next update
next month

Recent figures may be revised.

GDP growth

April to June 2026 · 0.5%, up 0.5 percentage points on a year earlier

Good signNeutral

Good signNeutralWarning sign

Good signNeutralWarning sign

Good signNeutralWarning sign

Usual range (middle 80% of the last 10 years)

Adding the quarterly changes is not the growth for the year. 2026 so far covers January to June.

Source: Office for National Statistics

What this means for people

When the UK produces more, there is usually more work and income to go round. When it produces less, jobs can be harder to find.

Gross domestic product, or GDP, estimates the value of goods and services produced in the UK, from cars and crops to haircuts and hospital care. Unpaid work at home is not counted.

The percentage takes out rising prices, so a rise means more was produced, not only that prices were higher. Hiring often follows a rise, but not always.

Latest figures

See the figures as a table
PeriodValue
April to June 20260.5%
January to March 20260.6%
October to December 20250.0%
July to September 20250.2%
April to June 20250.0%
January to March 20250.6%
October to December 20240.4%
July to September 20240.2%
April to June 20240.6%
January to March 20240.7%
October to December 2023−0.3%
July to September 2023−0.2%
Each quarter
Period2023202420252026 so far
January to March0.1%0.7%0.6%0.6%
April to June0.0%0.6%0.0%0.5%
July to September−0.2%0.2%0.2%
October to December−0.3%0.4%0.0%

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How to read this

This is growth, not size

A small rise after a large fall can still leave output smaller than it was before.

Growth is not the same per person

Output can rise because more people live and work in the UK. That does not show whether the average person is better off.

Recession is a rule of thumb

Two quarters of shrinking in a row is often called a recession. No single official definition exists, and the rule does not show how deep a fall is.

Revisions

The first estimate of growth in a quarter often changes later. Early estimates are based on incomplete data.

First estimateLatest figure

See the figures as a table
PeriodFirst estimateLatest figure
Apr to Jun 20260.4%0.5%
Jan to Mar 20260.6%0.6%
Oct to Dec 20250.1%0.0%
Jul to Sep 20250.1%0.2%
Apr to Jun 20250.3%0.0%
Jan to Mar 20250.7%0.6%
Oct to Dec 20240.1%0.4%
Jul to Sep 20240.1%0.2%
Apr to Jun 20240.6%0.6%
Jan to Mar 20240.6%0.7%
Oct to Dec 2023−0.3%−0.3%
Jul to Sep 20230.0%−0.2%

Source

Publisher
Office for National Statistics
Official title
Gross domestic product (GDP), quarter on quarter growth, chained volume measures, seasonally adjusted
Series
IHYQ
First estimate
GDP in chained volume measures – revision triangles (ABMI)

ABMI

Published

CSVJSON

Geography
United Kingdom
Status
Accredited official statistics
Cite this

Office for National Statistics (2026) Gross domestic product (GDP), quarter on quarter growth, chained volume measures, seasonally adjusted, April to June 2026 (series IHYQ).