United Kingdom Economic Snapshot
Economic Outlook Note - United Kingdom
Following a contraction of 0.4% in 2023, GDP is projected to increase by 0.2% in 2024. Consumer price inflation will peak at around 10% in late 2022 due to high energy prices and continuing labour and goods supply shortages, before gradually declining to 2.7% by the end of 2024. Private consumption is expected to slow owing to rising living costs, but will be aided by a 9.7% increase in the minimum wage and the usual uprating of welfare benefits and pensions in April 2023.
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Read full country noteEconomic Survey of the United Kingdom (August 2022)
The UK economy recovered from the COVID-19 shock thanks to emergency support measures protecting jobs and incomes and a rapid vaccine rollout, but is slowing amid persisting supply shortages and rising inflation. Fiscal policy has to balance gradual tightening with providing well-targeted temporary support to households who are vulnerable to rising costs of living, supporting growth and addressing significant investment needs. Accelerating progress towards net zero is fundamental to enhance energy security. The United Kingdom is among world leaders in reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions, has a strong institutional framework and a broad political consensus supporting the target to reduce net emissions to zero by 2050.
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Reform Priorities (April 2021)
Going for Growth 2021 - United Kingdom
Vulnerable social groups have been particularly affected by the pandemic and poverty is set to increase as jobs are lost and self-employed see incomes dwindle, accentuating regional differences. The COVID-19 crisis has emphasized the need to re-train and up-skill the population, secure access to affordable housing by reducing bottlenecks to supply and to revive investment.
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Read full country note2021 Structural Reform Priorities
- Education and skills: Boost funding for lifelong learning
- Infrastructure: Increase public investment, prioritising digital infrastructure and deprived regions
- Housing: Improve housing supply and competition in construction
- Labour market: Increase support for full-time good-quality childcare
- R&D and digitalisation: Ensure a balance between direct R&D support and tax incentives