UK economy shrank by 19.1% in the three months to May

The UK economy shrank by 19.1% in the three months to May, and by a record of 20.4% in April, according to new data produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

However figures show a 1.8% growth of economic output during May, compared with April.

The ONS's monthly analysis for economic output in May shows that, as in April, there was widespread evidence of "severe disruption” in the food and hospitality sectors, due to the government-enforced closure of pubs, restaurants and cafés.

Accommodation services continued to decline in May, whereas food and beverage services showed a small pickup, thanks to an increase in restaurant and takeaway activity. However output from pubs and bars continued to decline, with a reported turnover of £40m for pubs and bars in May, compared with £1.96b in May 2019.

Speaking on Sky News, chancellor Rishi Sunak said the country had moved through the “acute” phase of the crisis but that the shape of the recovery would not be known “for a while”.

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