UK economy grew by 0.4% between April and June, figures show

Summary

The UK's economy grew by 0.4% between April and June - here's a quick look at what the figures show
Today's figure - in line with economists' expectations - is below the 0.6% growth seen in the first three months of this year
The main driver of growth was services - things like banking, insurance and hotels - with businesses reporting a positive impact from good weather and sporting events, writes our correspondent
But experts broadly agree it will be challenging to keep the momentum going - they warn that growth will be "difficult to sustain" as pressure from the Iran war persists
Chancellor John Healey praises the UK for achieving the "fastest growth in the G7 this year" and says the government now needs to "double down and drive growth in every postcode"
What is GDP? It measures the economic activity of companies, governments, and people, and affects things like pay increases for workers and how much tax the government can raise to pay for services

Live Reporting

Edited by Rorey Bosotti

What do experts expect from the GDP figures?published at 06:30 BST 13 August

The latest GDP figures should show the impact of several things that occurred in the three months to June.
Economists are expecting growth of 0.4% for that three month period, according to estimates.
Businesses continued to find ways to cope with the effects of the Iran war, with manufacturers stockpiling to mitigate against supply shortages and price rises.
But the period also included political uncertainty in the run-up to Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as prime minister on 22 June.
The first heatwave also came in May, which put some industries under pressure.
Monthly GDP is expected to have dipped by 0.1% in June, according to consultancy Pantheon Macroeconomics.
UK economy returned to growth in Maypublished at 06:20 BST 13 August
Nick Edser
Business reporter

The UK's economy returned to growth in May, but the expansion was modest as businesses were affected by the impact of the Iran war.
The economy grew by 0.1%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, driven by expansion in the UK's service sector, although this was offset by falls in the production and construction sectors.
May's growth comes after a slight contraction in April, and analysts said the latest figures suggested the economy had weathered the rise in energy prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East better than expected.
However, others noted the UK economy remained "fragile".
Over the three months to May, the ONS said the economy grew by 0.7% compared with the previous three-month period.

A quick guide to GDPpublished at 06:12 BST 13 August

Today’s figures show how the UK economy is performing, using a measure called Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
What is it?
GDP measures the economic activity of companies, governments, and people, and affects things like pay increases for workers and how much tax the government can raise to pay for services.
But the measure doesn’t tell the whole story, especially important aspects of people’s living standards or how wealth is shared.
What does it show?
Generally, economists, politicians, and businesses prefer GDP to grow steadily – as it means people are spending more, more jobs are being created, and more tax is being paid.
If GDP shrinks for two quarters in a row, this is known as a recession, which can lead to pay freezes and job losses.
Latest figures on economic growth to be releasedpublished at 06:07 BST 13 August

The latest figures showing how the UK economy performed are about to be released.
At 07:00 BST, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will reveal the Gross Domestic Product figures for April to June 2026.
Economists are expecting to see growth of 0.4%.
GDP measures the size and health of a country’s economy by assessing how much is produced, spent and earned over a period of time.
Stay with us for the latest updates and analysis throughout the morning.