Answer in brief
Updated UK national accounts lifted the estimate for spring growth by 0.1 percentage point while leaving a slower pace than the previous quarter.
The revision changes the size of the quarter
The UK's Office for National Statistics revised growth in real gross domestic product for April to June 2026 to 0.5% from an initial 0.4%, in national accounts released on 30 September. Reuters separately reported the upgraded figure. The first quarter remained at 0.6%, so the new estimate still shows growth easing between the two quarters. A 0.1 percentage-point revision may appear small, but it changes the official measure used to assess the economy's momentum.
What the updated accounts add
The ONS said real GDP per head rose 0.5% in the second quarter. Its release also reported real household disposable income per head up 1.0% after a 0.8% fall in the first quarter, and a household saving ratio of 8.8%, 0.2 percentage points higher. Those household measures give a different view from the GDP headline, but none tells us how evenly gains were distributed. An aggregate increase can coexist with very different experiences across households and sectors.
Why estimates move
The latest accounts use more complete information and incorporate revisions aligned with the 2026 Blue Book methods. ONS said it has updated data, including new VAT turnover information for the first quarter, and reviewed the balance among output, income and expenditure measures. It also cut its estimate for full-year 2025 GDP growth by 0.1 percentage point to 1.2%. A revised estimate is part of the ordinary statistical process, not evidence that a fresh burst of production happened on publication day.
How to read the new baseline: Updated UK national accounts lifted the estimate for…
The stronger estimate gives policymakers and businesses a slightly firmer baseline for spring 2026, but it cannot settle the pace of the economy in the current quarter. Future monthly data and later revisions may change the picture again. The ONS release is the primary source for the component and methodology details; Reuters confirmed the headline move. At the 30 September evidence cutoff, the supported conclusion is a modest upward revision to past growth alongside slower quarter-on-quarter expansion than in early 2026.
Questions and answers
How much did the UK economy grow in Q2 2026?
ONS's 30 September quarterly national accounts estimate real GDP grew 0.5% from the previous quarter, revised from 0.4%.
Does the upward revision mean growth accelerated?
No. The revised second-quarter rate of 0.5% was still below the first quarter's 0.6%.