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 economic system stalled within the remaining 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 finances, 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 dimension.

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

“Throughout the final three months as a complete and, certainly during the last 12 months, the economic system has, although, confirmed zero development,” he stated.

“The primary 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 tip of the World Cup and personal well being suppliers additionally had a powerful month,” Morgan added.

“Postal providers additionally partially recovered from the consequences of December’s strikes.” These components have been partly offset by a pointy drop in building on account of a slowdown in infrastructure tasks and housebuilding, partly due to heavy rainfall.

A lift in spending throughout the soccer World Cup helped hold development in constructive territory within the remaining quarter of final yr, Workplace for Nationwide Statistics figures present. The rise went in opposition to economists’ expectations to maintain the UK out of a recession, which is outlined as two consecutive quarters of destructive development.

The most recent official figures will feed into the Workplace for Price range Duty’s outlook for the economic 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 report falls in dwelling requirements and is predicted to downgrade its forecasts for development within the medium time period.

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

Hunt stated: “Within the face of extreme world challenges, the UK economic system has proved extra resilient than many anticipated, however there’s a lengthy strategy to go.

“Subsequent week, I’ll set out the following stage of our plan to halve inflation, cut back debt and develop the economic system – so we will enhance dwelling requirements for everybody.’’

Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, stated 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 offered a fine addition to financial prospects initially of 2023,” she stated. “However this will not be enough to stave off a recession within the first half of this yr, 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 predicted 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 yr.

Inflation fell to 10.1 per cent in January, down from a 41-year excessive of 11.1 per cent in October, and is predicted to at the least halve by the tip of the yr.

Ben Jones, CBI Lead Economist, stated:“The slight rebound in development initially of the yr 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 vitality costs and rising rates of interest. Nonetheless, sentiment is bettering, and enterprise leaders are hopeful of a extra secure working setting later this yr.
“The federal government ought to use the forthcoming finances to beat the prevailing financial headwinds by tackling the obstacles holding corporations again. This consists of fixing labour shortages by reforming childcare and serving to deliver extra working dad and mom again into the workforce, in addition to discovering a alternative to the tremendous deduction forward of the deliberate six-point enhance in company tax.”

George Lagarias, Chief Economist at Mazars feedback: “We are able to’t actually say we’re too shocked that UK GDP development exceeded expectations for January. For one, shoppers 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 large world economies, such because the US and China, has been stronger than anticipated.

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