Real GDP, United Kingdom
Real GDP in the United Kingdom was £744.5 bn in , up 0.5% from and up 1.4% from a year earlier. Over the latest 12 readings it moved between £716.4 bn and £744.5 bn. The next reading is for Q3 2026. Source: ONS, ONS QNA, CDID ABMI; history from .
Key takeaways
- Real GDP at £744.5 bn in beats 100% of readings since (ONS).
- Against a ten-year average of £695.5 bn, real GDP is above that norm by £48.9 bn (ONS).
- On real GDP, the United Kingdom ranks 2nd highest of 3 countries (national publishers).
What this indicator is and why it matters
Real GDP is the total value of goods and services produced in the United Kingdom, in chained volume measures that remove the effect of price changes, as published by the Office for National Statistics in its quarterly national accounts (CDID ABMI). The series is seasonally adjusted.
It is the official measure of the size of the UK economy and the basis for judging growth, recession and the public finances, since tax receipts and borrowing are often compared with GDP. The Bank of England uses it, together with its own surveys, to estimate how much spare capacity the economy has.
Revisions are the main pitfall. The ONS publishes a first quarterly estimate about six weeks after the quarter ends, then revises it as fuller data arrive, and later annual updates can change the history of past years noticeably. The level in chained volume terms means components do not sum exactly to the total. The ONS also publishes a monthly GDP index, on its own page here, which gives an earlier signal of the quarter's growth, and population growth means total GDP and GDP per person can tell different stories.
Where it sits in history
Real GDP is at its highest since the series starts in . Within ten years, real GDP beats 100% of readings.
| Window | Latest is higher than | Average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since Q1 2006 | 100% of readings | £646.9 bn | £744.5 bn | £545.4 bn |
| Last ten years | 100% of readings | £695.5 bn | £744.5 bn | £545.4 bn |
| Last five years | 100% of readings | £721.3 bn | £744.5 bn | £683.8 bn |
- Real GDP £744bn
Recent readings
Last five years
- Real GDP £744bn
Latest readings
| Period | Value | Change from previous |
|---|---|---|
| £744.5 bn | +0.5% | |
| £740.5 bn | +0.6% | |
| £735.8 bn | +0.0% | |
| £735.7 bn | +0.2% | |
| £734.4 bn | +0.0% | |
| £734.3 bn | +0.6% | |
| £729.9 bn | +0.4% | |
| £727.3 bn | +0.2% |
Annual averages
By calendar-year average, real GDP peaked in (£735.0 bn) and bottomed in (£566.8 bn). 2026 to date: £742.5 bn, after £735.0 bn in 2025.
| Year | Average | Low | High | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part year) | £742.5 bn | £740.5 bn | £744.5 bn | 2 |
| 2025 | £735.0 bn | £734.3 bn | £735.8 bn | 4 |
| 2024 | £726.2 bn | £721.6 bn | £729.9 bn | 4 |
| 2023 | £718.2 bn | £716.4 bn | £719.3 bn | 4 |
| 2022 | £715.1 bn | £711.2 bn | £718.0 bn | 4 |
| 2021 | £680.9 bn | £639.2 bn | £705.1 bn | 4 |
| 2020 | £627.4 bn | £545.4 bn | £681.1 bn | 4 |
| 2019 | £697.5 bn | £693.9 bn | £700.9 bn | 4 |
| 2018 | £687.9 bn | £685.6 bn | £690.2 bn | 4 |
| 2017 | £676.8 bn | £668.1 bn | £685.2 bn | 4 |
| 2016 | £655.1 bn | £649.3 bn | £660.6 bn | 4 |
| 2015 | £640.9 bn | £636.1 bn | £645.9 bn | 4 |
| 2014 | £627.3 bn | £619.7 bn | £634.3 bn | 4 |
| 2013 | £607.9 bn | £601.1 bn | £614.6 bn | 4 |
| 2012 | £596.4 bn | £593.7 bn | £599.3 bn | 4 |
| 2011 | £586.7 bn | £585.7 bn | £587.8 bn | 4 |
| 2010 | £580.6 bn | £573.4 bn | £584.8 bn | 4 |
| 2009 | £566.8 bn | £565.5 bn | £568.1 bn | 4 |
| 2008 | £593.6 bn | £578.7 bn | £603.5 bn | 4 |
| 2007 | £593.4 bn | £585.4 bn | £601.3 bn | 4 |
| 2006 | £576.2 bn | £573.9 bn | £578.8 bn | 4 |
Same measure in other countries
Real GDP in the United Kingdom is above 1 of the other 2 comparable readings. Four countries compared.
| Country | Series | Latest | Period | Change on a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Real GDP | £744.5 bn | +1.4% | |
| Canada | Real GDP (expenditure-based) | C$2,524.1 bn | Q2 2026 | +1.1% |
| Australia | Real GDP | A$699.5 bn | Q2 2026 | +2.1% |
How is it measured?
Gross domestic product, chained volume measures, seasonally adjusted.
ONS publishes real GDP quarterly in ONS QNA, CDID ABMI, in GBP (chained volume) and is seasonally adjusted. Code: ABMI/QNA. Method for real GDP.
Questions
How high is real GDP in the United Kingdom now?
£744.5 bn in (ONS), up 1.4% on a year earlier.
Is real GDP high by historical standards?
Real GDP beats 100% of readings since ; its peak was £744.5 bn (), its low £545.4 bn ().
When is real GDP updated?
Quarterly, in ONS QNA, CDID ABMI. Next reading: Q3 2026.
Where can I check real GDP at the source?
ONS data, code ABMI/QNA.