ONS data showing British national output rose in final quarter of 2024 confounds forecasts of 0.1% decline
Britain has avoided a recession after the economy unexpectedly picked up in the final three months of 2024, easing some of the pressure on Rachel Reeves after flatlining during the summer.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show gross domestic product rose by 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2024 – after zero growth in the previous three months – to beat the forecasts of City economists and the Bank of England for a decline of 0.1%.