Economy

Understanding the latest changes to UK trade figures with the EU

Categories: Economy, ONS

The official trade figures for January 2022 show that the UK imported £24.1 billion of goods from the European Union and exported £11.6 billion in return. However, in understanding those figures, it’s important that users are aware of some changes to the way HM Revenue and Customs collect trade data. One effect of the developments in today’s release is significantly to reduce the January figure for UK exports to the EU. Matt Hughes explains the changes.

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Keeping track of the testing, tracing and vaccination programmes: How we’re including the pandemic response in GDP

Categories: Coronavirus, Data, Economy

The policy response to the pandemic required ONS to record and measure lots of new types of economic activity, such as the test, trace and vaccination programmes. Philip Wales looks at how we are ensuring their impact on the economy will be properly measured.

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Measuring the digital economy:  Adapting and Evolving  

Categories: Data, Economy, ONS
Shot of user on laptop also using a phone and with a credit card as if online shopping

For over a decade, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has provided vital insight into the UK digital economy, tracking development across E-commerce and ICT use, Internet Access, Internet Users and Sharing Economy. As the pandemic has transformed elements of how we conduct business and live our lives, Emma Reed talks about how the ONS is working to improve our measurement of the digital economy.   

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Strengthening Income and Earnings statistics

Categories: Data, Economy, Office for National Statistics, ONS
Image depicting income data, charts and a pile of coins

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of producing a clear and consistent UK-wide picture of people’s lives and the state of the economy. Our statistics on income and earnings are a critical component of this picture, necessary to understand its impact on wages, incomes, and more broadly household finances. Here, Debra Prestwood explains how statistical producers from across the Government Statistical Service (GSS) are coming together to improve the coherence and accessibility of these data.

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