The UK economy grew at the fastest rate in a year over the first quarter of 2025, in a boost to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, new official figures show.<\/p>\n
Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.<\/p>\n
This means it came in ahead of economists\u2019 expectations of 0.6% growth for the quarter.<\/p>\n
It was also the highest GDP rate since the first quarter of 2024, when the economy jumped by 0.9%.<\/p>\n
Growth was driven by the country\u2019s dominant services sector, which was strengthening in the opening months of the year despite some businesses warning that they were grappling with rising costs.<\/p>\n
Ms Reeves said the figures \u201cshow the strength and potential of the UK economy\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cUp against a backdrop of global uncertainty we are making the right choices now in the national interest,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the figures showed he was meeting his goal of having the highest growth in the G7 group of advanced economies.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I know the Tory cost-of-living crisis isn\u2019t over \u2013 we will go further and faster to deliver for working people,\u201d Sir Keir said.<\/p>\n
Ms Reeves acknowledged that there was \u201cmore to do\u201d, with the latest ONS figures covering the period before tax rises and US President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cliberation day\u201d tariff announcements.<\/p>\n
Company national insurance contributions increased from April, which some economists have said will force firms to cut jobs.<\/p>\n
And the US has imposed a 10% blanket tariff on most UK goods entering the world\u2019s biggest economy, which is expected to directly impact exporters and has led to heightened uncertainty affecting businesses and households.<\/p>\n
The latest figures show that economic growth slowed to 0.2% in March, from 0.5% in February, as activity among UK factories began to slump.<\/p>\n
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride pointed out that both the\u00a0Office for Budget Responsibility and the International Monetary Fund had downgraded short-term growth forecasts\u00a0on the back of tariff uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\u201cLabour inherited the fastest-growing economy in the G7, but their decisions have put that progress at risk,\u201d he said, adding that national insurance hikes \u2013 which he branded as \u201cjobs tax\u201d \u2013 were making people worse off.<\/p>\n
Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: \u201cThe economy grew strongly in the first quarter of the year, largely driven by services, though production also grew significantly, after a period of decline.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowth in services was broad based, with wholesale, retail and computer programming all having a strong quarter as did car leasing and advertising.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese were only slightly offset by falls in education, telecoms and legal services.\u201d<\/p>\n
The services sector jumped by 0.7% over the quarter, compared with the last three months of 2024, with administrative and support service activities surging by 3.3%.<\/p>\n
Retail trade increased by 1.4% over the quarter, while sports and recreation activities picked up by 5.8% in March as warmer weather swept across the UK.<\/p>\n
Consumer-facing services rose by 0.9% in the first quarter, indicating relative strength among households ahead of a swathe of bills rising from April, including energy and water.<\/p>\n
Elliott Jordan-Doak, senior UK economist for Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the first-quarter data shows \u201cthe economy holding up well heading into the trade war\u201d, which is expected to \u201churt growth in 2025 and 2026\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UK\u2019s new trade deal with the US rules out the worst-case scenario for tariffs, at least for now,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we think the radical uncertainty unleashed by the trade war will persist, weighing on investment and consumer confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The UK economy grew at the fastest rate in a year over the first quarter of 2025, in a boost to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, new official figures show. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. This means it came in ahead of economists\u2019 expectations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4460,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n