The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that UK monthly gross domestic product grew by 0.1% in August 2026, following unrevised growth of 0.4% in July 2026. In the three months to August 2026, real GDP grew by 0.7% compared with the three months to May 2026, the eighth consecutive three-month on three-month growth.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that UK monthly gross domestic product grew by 0.1% in August 2026, following unrevised growth of 0.4% in July 2026. In the three months to August 2026, real GDP grew by 0.7% compared with the three months to May 2026, the eighth consecutive three-month on three-month growth.
- UK monthly GDP grew by 0.1% in August 2026, following unrevised growth of 0.4% in July 2026.
- August growth was driven by a 0.8% rise in production output, while services showed no growth and construction fell by 0.2%.
- In the three months to August 2026, real GDP grew by 0.7% compared with the three months to May 2026, the eighth consecutive three-month on three-month growth.
- June 2026 monthly growth was revised up to 0.4%, and growth in the three months to June and July was revised up to 0.5% in each case.
KEY FACTS
- August 2026: GDP grew 0.1% on the month
- July 2026: 0.4% growth, unrevised
- Three months to August: GDP up 0.7% on the three months to May
- Services (three months): Up 0.9%
- Production (three months): Down 0.2%
- Construction (three months): Down 1.0%
August in one line
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its monthly GDP estimate for August 2026 on 15 October 2026. UK monthly gross domestic product grew by 0.1% in August 2026, following unrevised growth of 0.4% in July 2026. Monthly growth in June 2026 was revised up to 0.4%, from 0.3% in the previous publication. The ONS says the release is consistent with the quarterly national accounts published on 30 September 2026 and with Blue Book 2026, and that early GDP estimates can be revised in later publications.
The August figure of 0.1% represents a slower monthly pace than the 0.4% recorded in July 2026 and the revised 0.4% recorded in June 2026. The ONS attributes the August monthly growth to a rise in production output, while services output showed no growth and construction output fell. The monthly estimate is one part of the ONS output approach to measuring GDP and is published alongside the three-month on three-month comparison. The ONS notes that monthly GDP estimates are more volatile than quarterly figures and are subject to revision as more data become available.
What drove August
Growth in August 2026 was driven by a 0.8% rise in production output, according to the ONS. Services output showed no growth in the month, and construction output fell by 0.2%. The ONS says the production sector provided the positive contribution to monthly GDP in August, offsetting the flat reading in services and the decline in construction. The services sector is the largest part of the UK economy by output, so a flat monthly reading there limited the overall pace of growth. Construction output fell by 0.2% in August 2026, following the pattern seen in the three-month figures.
The ONS monthly estimate for August 2026 therefore reflects a narrow base of growth, with production the only one of the three main output sectors to rise in the month. The 0.8% rise in production output was not enough to lift monthly GDP growth above 0.1% because services showed no growth and construction fell by 0.2%. The ONS publishes output data for the production, services and construction sectors as part of the same monthly GDP release. The ONS says early GDP estimates can be revised in later publications as additional survey responses and administrative data are incorporated.
The three-month picture
In the three months to August 2026, real GDP grew by 0.7% compared with the three months to May 2026, the ONS said. The ONS says this is the eighth consecutive three-month on three-month growth. Growth in the three months to July 2026 and the three months to June 2026 was 0.5% in each case, both revised up from 0.4%. The three-month comparison smooths out some of the monthly volatility seen in the August 2026 estimate and provides a longer-run view of output growth.
Over the three months to August 2026, services output grew by 0.9%, production output fell by 0.2% and construction output fell by 1.0%, according to the ONS. The three-month figures therefore show a different sectoral pattern from the monthly August estimate, with services providing the main positive contribution over the period and both production and construction subtracting from growth. The ONS says the three-month on three-month growth of 0.7% is the eighth consecutive increase on this measure. The ONS notes that the release is consistent with the quarterly national accounts published on 30 September 2026 and with Blue Book 2026.
Revisions
The ONS says early GDP estimates can be revised in later publications. The revisions mean the monthly path into August 2026 shows growth of 0.4% in June 2026, 0.4% in July 2026 and 0.1% in August 2026.
The ONS notes that monthly GDP estimates are based on early data and can be revised as more information becomes available. The three-month on three-month growth figures for the periods to June 2026 and July 2026 were both revised up to 0.5%, from 0.4% in each case, according to the ONS.
Source: ONS: GDP monthly estimate, UK: August 2026.
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For press offices Kael Tripton reports releases from UK public bodies, operators, regulators and consumer brands, with your images credited and a link to your newsroom. News coverage is an editorial decision and is never paid for. Organisations can separately publish a release in full under their own name, clearly labelled as sponsored. |
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DISCLAIMER
This article reports official statistics. It is general information, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
What was UK GDP growth in August 2026?
UK monthly gross domestic product grew by 0.1% in August 2026, following unrevised growth of 0.4% in July 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics.
What drove GDP growth in August 2026?
Growth in August 2026 was driven by a 0.8% rise in production output. Services output showed no growth and construction output fell by 0.2% in the month, according to the Office for National Statistics.
What was GDP growth in the three months to August 2026?
In the three months to August 2026, real GDP grew by 0.7% compared with the three months to May 2026. The Office for National Statistics says this is the eighth consecutive three-month on three-month growth.
What were the sector figures for the three months to August 2026?
Over the three months to August 2026, services output grew by 0.9%, production output fell by 0.2% and construction output fell by 1.0%, according to the Office for National Statistics.
What revisions did the ONS make?
Monthly growth in June 2026 was revised up to 0.4%, from 0.3% in the previous publication. Growth in the three months to July 2026 and the three months to June 2026 was 0.5% in each case, both revised up from 0.4%, according to the Office for National Statistics.
SOURCES
- ONS: GDP monthly estimate, UK: August 2026 - accessed 15 October 2026
