The UK's key numbers

News about the economy keeps returning to the same handful of numbers. Each one comes from an official body, which publishes the latest value on its own pages.

Prices

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) describes the rate of inflation as the change in prices for goods and services over time. Among the main numbers on its home page is the CPIH 12-month rate. Its inflation pages also carry CPI and RPI.

Jobs

On the same home page, the ONS gives two labour market measures. One is the employment rate for people aged 16 to 64, and the other is the unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over. Both are seasonally adjusted.

The size of the economy

The ONS calls gross domestic product (GDP) the main measure of UK economic growth. It is based on the value of goods and services produced over a period. The ONS publishes GDP estimates every month, every quarter and every year.

How many people

The ONS publishes an estimate of the UK population as at the middle of each year. It also breaks the estimate down by area and by groups of people.

Bank Rate

The Bank of England sets Bank Rate. Its Monetary Policy Committee meets eight times a year to decide the level needed to return inflation to, or keep it at, the 2% target over time.

When new numbers come out

The ONS lists the dates of upcoming statistics in its release calendar. The Bank of England gives the date of its next Bank Rate decision on its Bank Rate page.

Useful links