GDP falls by record 20.4% in April: ONS

The monthly fall is the biggest on record for the UK, almost ten times larger than the steepest pre-coronavirus fall.

The ONS says the negative impacts of social distancing and lockdown have led to a significant fall in consumer demand and business and factory closures, as well as supply chain disruptions.

The data shows that GDP fell by 10.4% in the three months to April.

Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician for economic statistics at the ONS, said: “April’s fall in GDP is the biggest the UK has ever seen, more than three times larger than last month and almost ten times larger than the steepest pre-covid-19 fall. In April the economy was around 25% smaller than in February.

“Virtually all areas of the economy were hit, with pubs, education, health and car sales all giving the biggest contributions to this historic fall.

“Manufacturing and construction also saw significant falls, with manufacture of cars and housebuilding particularly badly affected.

“The UK’s trade with the rest of the world was also badly affected by the pandemic, with large falls in both the import and export of cars, fuels, works of art and clothing.”