THE UK economy grew by 0.2% in August, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
It follows a fall of 0.6% in July 2023, revised down from a 0.5% fall in its previous estimates.
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Looking at the broader picture, GDP increased by 0.3% in the three months to August 2023, with growth in all sectors.
GDP measures the value of goods and services produced in the UK.
It also estimates the size and growth of the economy.
Services output rose by 0.4% in August 2023 and was the main contributor to the growth in GDP.
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But construction and production – declined in August, according to the ONS.
Overall, production output fell by 0.7% in July, after falling by 1.1% in July.
The construction sector fell by 0.5% in August 2023 after a fall of 0.4% in July 2023.
Darren Morgan, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “Our initial estimate suggests GDP grew a little in August, led by strong growth in services which was partially offset by falls in manufacturing and construction.
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“Within services, education returned to normal levels, while computer programmers and engineers both had strong months.
“Across the last three months as a whole the economy has grown modestly, led by car manufacturing and sales, and construction.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “The UK has grown faster than France and Germany since the pandemic and today’s data shows the economy is more resilient than expected.
“While this is a good sign, we still need to tackle inflation so we can unlock sustainable growth.”
What does it mean for my money?
A healthy economy is one that is growing and not in recession so the latest figures should be good news for consumers.
A country is in recession if there are two consecutive quarters of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) falling.
The year is split into four three-month quarters.
The economy remained unchanged in the three months to March, which means a recession was avoided.
Recessions are bad news because it usually means jobs will be lost and wages will stall.
It can cause businesses to go into administration or bust too.
This, in turn, means the government gets less tax, which could mean cuts to public services and benefits such as Universal Credit. Tax rates might go up too.
The UK last went into recession in 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic hit, shutting down large parts of the economy.
How to protect your finances
If you’re worried about your finances, there are steps you can take to try and keep your cash safe.
Having an emergency savings pot is helpful in times of high inflation, to help cover any outgoings that might have increased unexpectedly.
You might consider asking for a pay rise at work, but there are no guarantees your company is in a position to offer one.
Be sure to make savings where you can – shop around for better deals on your car and home insurance, as well as broadband and mobile phone.
Save money by going to a cheaper supermarket, shopping for own-brand rather than premium products, and looking out for yellow-sticker bargains.
Make a budget and check your bank statements for any forgotten subscriptions you might be wasting money on.
Making extra cash in your spare time can help too, picking up a side hustle or selling your old clothes could give you a boost.
A woman recently told The Sun her £7,000 a month side hustle lets her make cash from her sofa – but some thinking its a boring chore.
From being paid to watch movies to recycling old till receipts here are 20 easy side hustles you can do at home and make money.
When money is tight, it can be tempting to ignore debts – but this will only make your financial situation worse.
Stay on top of what you owe and always repay priority debts.
There are also plenty of organisations where you can seek debt advice for free.
These include:
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
- Step Change – 0800 138 1111
- Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
You should also check what benefits you are eligible for.
Entitledto’s free calculator works out whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit.
If you don’t want to register, consumer group MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data that let you save your results without logging in.
There is also emergency funding available for struggling households, which is dished out by local councils.
The Household Support Fund is designed to help those in most need with payments towards the rising cost of food, energy, and water bills.
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Help available varies, but you could get free cash, food vouchers, and help for bills like rent and energy.
You could also get similar help from your council under the welfare assistance scheme.
