UK GDP grows 0.1% in August and 0.7% over three months, the eighth three-month rise in a row
Victoria Shinder2 min readThe UK economy grew by 0.1% in August 2026, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in its monthly GDP estimate published on 15 October. July's growth of 0.4% was unrevised and June's was revised up to 0.4% from 0.3%.
The three-month view. Real GDP grew 0.7% in the three months to August compared with the three months to May. That is the eighth consecutive three-month-on-three-month increase, after growth of 0.5% in the three months to July and to June — both revised up from 0.4%. Services grew 0.9% over the three months and were the only sector to contribute positively; production fell 0.2% and construction 1.0%.
What happened in August itself. The monthly rise was driven by a 0.8% increase in production. Services showed no growth, and construction fell 0.2%.
Over the year. GDP in the three months to August was 1.8% higher than a year earlier, the strongest such rate since the three months to October 2022 (2.0%). Services grew 2.2%, production 0.8%, and construction fell 1.6%. Compared with August 2025 alone, GDP was 2.1% higher, the highest since August 2022.
Where the growth comes from. The ONS names professional, scientific and technical activities and information and communication as the sectors with the largest positive contributions over the year. Within them, four industries stand out: computer programming, consultancy and related activities (0.32 percentage points of GDP growth), scientific research and development (0.18), advertising and market research (0.11) and information service activities (0.10). Together they contribute 0.93 points of the 1.8% GDP growth. Over the three months to August, 10 of 14 services subsectors grew; professional, scientific and technical activities rose 2.8% and information and communication 2.8%, the latter driven by 5.0% growth in computer programming. The ONS says that industry has made the largest contribution to three-monthly growth in each of the past six months.
Revisions. The release includes revisions to July for the first time and incorporates revisions back to January 1997, consistent with the quarterly national accounts of 30 September and Blue Book 2026. The ONS reminds users that early GDP estimates are revised, up or down, as more data arrive.
Source: Office for National Statistics, GDP monthly estimate, UK: August 2026 — https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/gdpmonthlyestimateuk/august2026