Rare reprieve for Reeves as ONS says data error cuts borrowing by £3bn October 8, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been handed a rare reprieve ahead of the Budget after a data error reported by the UK’s statistics authority reduced expected public borrowing by £3bn. A mistake in the counting of value added tax receipts by tax collector HMRC was identified in an update by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). [...]
Housing in London now classed as unaffordable at every income level September 18, 2025 London housing has been officially classed as unaffordable for every income decile in a ‘pretty grim’ picture of the housing market. New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the average English home costs 7.9 times the average salary. If you live in London, conditions are far worse: Someone earning an average [...]
Retail sales see July boost but firms warn of tough winter ahead September 5, 2025 British retail sales rose more than expected in July, boosted by good weather and the UEFA Women’s Euros 2025 tournament. However, extensive revisions to previous months’ data have revealed a less volatile but ultimately slower growth picture for the year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today released its latest figures, showing that sales volumes [...]
England’s fertility rate drops to record low August 27, 2025 The fertility rate across England and Wales has fallen to a record low, according to official figures, which is likely to fuel clashes between policymakers and economists over immigration controls. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that the total fertility rate, which is measured by the number of children women would expect to [...]
House prices recover after stamp duty hit August 20, 2025 House prices are rebounding from a post-April decline caused by Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ hike to stamp duty, official data has shown. The official house price index rose by 3.7 per cent in the year to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which was higher than 2.7 per cent growth seen in May. [...]
Inflation tops forecasts as food prices jump August 20, 2025 Inflation jumped in July, official data has suggested, creating a dilemma for Bank of England officials ahead of the central bank’s next policy meeting in September. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said consumer price index (CPI) inflation hit 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to July, which is on par with the Bank [...]
UK growth revised up two years late August 19, 2025 The UK economy grew slightly more in 2023 than previously assumed due to a change in how official statisticians calculate research and development (R&D) data, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Reflecting the difficulties in adding up output and consumption figures, the ONS said it was including new figures on tax data for R&D [...]
UK inflation to rise as summer spending pushes up hotels and airfares August 17, 2025 UK inflation is set to have edged higher last month as summer spending pushed up flight and hotel costs, and food prices continue to climb. One economist said an “Oasis bump” could have contributed to higher accommodation prices in July. Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation is widely expected to have increased in July, from the [...]
Why business confidence is all over the place August 12, 2025 Kemi Badenoch looked aghast but Keir Starmer was defiant. Business confidence was at a nine-year high, the prime minister declared in the House of Commons in mid-July. The Conservative Party leader was not having any of it. Neither were many economists and analysts watching from the City. What Starmer claimed was not false, per se. Research [...]
UK economy expected to rebound August 11, 2025 The UK economy is expected to have returned to growth in June after two consecutive months of declines amid concerns about the impact President Donald Trump’s tariffs have had on the economy. Economists polled by Bloomberg expect the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to post UK growth of 0.2 per cent for June when the [...]