'Pingdemic' hits UK’s economic growth in July

‘Pingdemic’ hits UK’s economic growth in July

The economy grew by just 0.1% in July as the last Covid restrictions were lifted in England. 

It marked the UK economy’s sixth consecutive month of growth, but the increase is much lower in the previous month. 

The ‘pingdemic’ is being blamed for keeping many workers at home. 

The UK economy is still 2.1% below its pre-pandemic peak, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS said outdoor events had given the economy a boost, following the easing of restrictions on social distancing on 19 July in England. 

The main contributor to growth was a 1.2 per cent rise in production output. 

Jonathan Athow, deputy statistician of the ONS, said: “Oil and gas provided the strongest boost, having partially bounced back after summer maintenance. Car production also continued to recover from recent component shortages.”

Many firms suffered from a lack of staff during July as workers were forced to self-isolate at home after being alerted by the NHS Test and Trace app, giving rise to what was dubbed the “pingdemic”.

Business confidence in UK at four-year high but staff shortages a concern

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