Young woman with suitcase, standing at reception deck in luxury hotel, waiting to check in - stock shot
The UK economy grew at its fastest rate for more than two years in the three months to September.
Between July and September, the economy expanded by 0.7%, accelerating from the three months previously, official figures show.
The robust growth suggests a far more resilient consumer economy than expected over the summer.
Strong growth in the services sector - which includes things such as consultancy services and hotels and restaurants - helped drive the stronger growth.
Within services, computer programming registered its fastest growth for the past three years.
"We continue to see evidence that AI linked businesses helped to boost this sector," ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said.
He said: "Despite a year where events around the world have pushed up costs here at home, our economy is growing, bringing hope for the future.
A bar chart showing real quarterly growth in UK gross domestic product from Q1 2024 to Q3 2026. The latest figure shows that the UK economy grew by 0.7% in the third quarter of 2026. This was higher than the equivalent period in 2025, when it grew by 0.2%, and the equivalent period in 2024, when growth was also 0.2%.
