The Workplace for Nationwide Statistics stories that GDP grew by 0.3% throughout January, after shrinking by 0.5% in December.

That’s a sooner restoration than anticipated after the financial system stalled within the ultimate quarter of 2022.

Analysts had anticipated modest development of simply 0.1% as strike motion and the price of dwelling disaster prevented a restoration in client and enterprise exercise.

The most recent GDP determine may give the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, a slight increase earlier than subsequent week’s price range, when he’ll set out the federal government’s tax and spending insurance policies.

It additionally provides to problem going through the chancellor to satisfy his goal to get authorities debt falling as a share of GDP. The nation is the one one amongst its G7 friends that has not but recovered its pre-pandemic measurement.

Darren Morgan, ONS director of financial statistics, mentioned the financial system had “partially bounced again” from the massive fall seen in December.

“Throughout the final three months as an entire and, certainly over the past 12 months, the financial system has, although, confirmed zero development,” he mentioned.

“The principle drivers of January’s development have been the return of youngsters to school rooms, following unusually excessive absences within the run-up to Christmas, the Premier League golf equipment returned to a full schedule after the top of the World Cup and personal well being suppliers additionally had a robust month,” Morgan added.

“Postal companies additionally partially recovered from the consequences of December’s strikes.” These elements have been partly offset by a pointy drop in building attributable to a slowdown in infrastructure initiatives and housebuilding, partly due to heavy rainfall.

A lift in spending in the course of the soccer World Cup helped maintain development in constructive territory within the ultimate quarter of final 12 months, Workplace for Nationwide Statistics figures present. The rise went towards economists’ expectations to maintain the UK out of a recession, which is outlined as two consecutive quarters of unfavorable development.

The most recent official figures will feed into the Workplace for Price range Accountability’s outlook for the financial system, which is because of be revealed together with the chancellor’s tax and spending plans on Wednesday. The official forecaster warned in November that the UK confronted two years of file falls in dwelling requirements and is anticipated to downgrade its forecasts for development within the medium time period.

The Financial institution of England nonetheless expects a downturn this 12 months however it’s predicted to be shallower and shorter than earlier estimates.

Hunt mentioned: “Within the face of extreme international challenges, the UK financial system has proved extra resilient than many anticipated, however there’s a lengthy solution to go.

“Subsequent week, I’ll set out the subsequent stage of our plan to halve inflation, scale back debt and develop the financial system – so we are able to enhance dwelling requirements for everybody.’’

Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, mentioned a recession is “nonetheless on the playing cards regardless of a brightening outlook”.

“The marked fall in wholesale gasoline costs and easing of provide chain disruptions supplied a great addition to financial prospects initially of 2023,” she mentioned. “However this will not be adequate to stave off a recession within the first half of this 12 months, as client spending stays weak with households persevering with to be squeezed by elevated costs and better rates of interest.”

Selfin added that the downturn is anticipated to be shallower and shorter than beforehand thought, with enterprise confidence set to enhance as inflation falls, supporting development within the second half of the 12 months.

Inflation fell to 10.1 per cent in January, down from a 41-year excessive of 11.1 per cent in October, and is anticipated to no less than halve by the top of the 12 months.

Ben Jones, CBI Lead Economist, mentioned:“The slight rebound in development initially of the 12 months wasn’t altogether shocking, given the sharp drop in December. However exercise is more likely to be subdued within the near-term, given the headwinds of excessive inflation, still-high power costs and rising rates of interest. Nonetheless, sentiment is enhancing, and enterprise leaders are hopeful of a extra secure working atmosphere later this 12 months.
“The federal government ought to use the forthcoming price range to beat the prevailing financial headwinds by tackling the boundaries holding corporations again. This contains fixing labour shortages by reforming childcare and serving to carry extra working mother and father again into the workforce, in addition to discovering a substitute to the tremendous deduction forward of the deliberate six-point enhance in company tax.”

George Lagarias, Chief Economist at Mazars feedback: “We will’t actually say we’re too stunned that UK GDP development exceeded expectations for January. For one, customers have been stronger than beforehand anticipated, as tight employment situations imply that wage development is considerably catching up with inflation. Moreover, exterior demand from the massive international economies, such because the US and China, has been stronger than anticipated.

“Whereas the broader financial backdrop might be probably the most troublesome in a technology and we may see extra weak spot forward, we predict that pessimism initially of the 12 months could have been overdone. Having mentioned that, we count on situations to stay unstable and tepid till inflation comes down sufficiently.”