This statistic displays the share of small and medium enterprises (SME) expecting the current economic climate to be a major obstacle to running the business in the next 12 months in the United Kingdom (UK) as of 2nd quarter 2014 to 2nd quarter 2019, by sector. In 2019, it was found that the construction sector had the highest proportion of SMEs with this expectation, at 28 percent.

In 2024, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United Kingdom grew by 0.9 percent and is expected to grow by just one percent in 2025 and by 1.9 percent in 2026. Growth is expected to slow down to 1.8 percent in 2027, and then grow by 1.7, and 1.8 percent in 2027 and 2028 respectively. The sudden emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 and subsequent closure of large parts of the economy were the cause of the huge 9.4 percent contraction in 2020, with the economy recovering somewhat in 2021, when the economy grew by 7.6 percent. UK growth downgraded in 2025 Although the economy is still expected to grow in 2025, the one percent growth anticipated in this forecast has been halved from two percent in October 2024. Increased geopolitical uncertainty as well as the impact of American tariffs on the global economy are some of the main reasons for this mark down. The UK's inflation rate for 2025 has also been revised, with an annual rate of 3.2 percent predicated, up from 2.6 percent in the last forecast. Unemployment is also anticipated to be higher than initially thought, with the annual unemployment rate likely to be 4.5 percent instead of 4.1 percent. Long-term growth problems In the last two quarters of 2023, the UK economy shrank by 0.1 percent in Q3 and by 0.3 percent in Q4, plunging the UK into recession for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before that last recession, however, the UK economy has been struggling with weak growth. Although growth since the pandemic has been noticeably sluggish, there has been a clear long-term trend of declining growth rates. The economy has consistently been seen as one of the most important issues to people in Britain, ahead of health, immigration and the environment. Achieving strong levels of economic growth is one of the main aims of the Labour government elected in 2024, although after almost one year in power it has so far proven elusive.

The economic impact to the United Kingdom caused by climate change is expected to be around 7.4 percent of the GDP by 2100 following the current policies (SSP3-7.0). In case of a more strict mitigation (SSP1-2.6), the economic impact could be reduced by around five percentage points.

London’s Economic Outlook is GLA Economics’ London forecast. The forecasts are issued every six months to assist those preparing planning projections for London in the medium term. The report contains the following: * An overview of recent economic conditions in London, the UK and the world economies with analysis of important events, trends and risks to short and medium-term growth. * The ‘consensus forecast’ – a review of independent forecasts indicating the range of views about London’s economy and the possible upside and downside risk. In this context, ‘consensus forecast’ refers to the average of the independent forecasters (Cambridge Econometrics, The Centre for Economic and Business Research, Experian Economics, and Oxford Economics) * The GLA Economics forecast for output, employment, household expenditure and household income in London. Provided below are links to the current and previous versions of GLA Economics' medium term forecast for the level and growth rate of London's GVA, employment, household income and household expenditure. Forecasts for the growth and level of employment and GVA for selected sectors of the economy are also included. * All output variables are measured in terms of output at basic prices. The price base for the latest dataset is 2011. * All growth rates are in percentage change per annum. * All employment levels are in millions. * All output levels are in £bn.

Weighted estimates from the voluntary fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) about financial performance, workforce, prices, trade, and business resilience. These are official statistics in development.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation data was reported at -26.000 Score in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of -25.000 Score for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation data is updated monthly, averaging -20.000 Score from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -1.000 Score in Oct 2020 and a record low of -39.200 Score in Mar 2013. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

Compass Group had by far the highest number of global employees among companies based in the United Kingdom as of 2024, at approximately 500,000 employees. Tesco had the second-highest number of employees at 345,000, followed by HSBC Holdings which had 213,978 employees. As of the same year, HSBC Holdings had an annual revenue of 144.9 billion U.S. dollars, the third-highest among UK-based companies. The oil and gas giant Shell had the highest annual revenue at 289.7 billion dollars, ahead of BP at 202.8 billion dollars. How many businesses are there in the UK? In 2024, there were approximately 5.5 million business enterprises in the UK, down from a peak of 5.98 million in 2020. Although there were just 1,930 large firms that employed 1,000 people or more, these firms employed more than a quarter of the UK's private sector workforce, and made a combined turnover of approximately 1.69 trillion British pounds. As of this year, the construction industry had the highest number of enterprises by sector, at over 870,000. The sector with the most workers was that of wholesale and retail, which collectively employed just under 4.9 million people in 2024, and also had the highest turnover compared to other sectors, at over 1.8 trillion pounds. Current UK economic climate In some ways, the UK economy is in a reasonably good position in 2024. There was moderate economic growth in the first half of the year, inflation has returned to more usual levels, and unemployment has remained low. According to the business confidence index, however, the current sentiment among businesses in September 2024 was lower than it has been since early 2021. Furthermore, the number of company insolvencies in England and Wales has steadily been increasing, with 25,000 taking place in 2023, and 22,000 in 2022, compared with just 14,000 in 2021. When SME leaders were asked in 2023, what the main obstacles to running their business were, 36 percent said increasing costs. The precarious state of the UK's government finances, and potential tax rises in the next budget, are also likely feeding into this pessimistic mood.

Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation: Negative Response data was reported at 36.419 Score in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 38.581 Score for Dec 2022. Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation: Negative Response data is updated monthly, averaging 32.534 Score from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.600 Score in Aug 2011 and a record low of 20.758 Score in Mar 2021. Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation: Negative Response data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

Graph and download economic data for Business Tendency Surveys for Construction: Business Situation Activity: Present: European Commission Indicator for the United Kingdom (DISCONTINUED) (BCBUCT02GBM460S) from Jan 1985 to Dec 2013 about business sentiment, United Kingdom, construction, and business.

Germany Current Economic Situation Indicator: United Kingdom data was reported at -79.100 % in Mar 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of -89.300 % for Feb 2021. Germany Current Economic Situation Indicator: United Kingdom data is updated monthly, averaging -4.900 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to Mar 2021, with 352 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 80.500 % in Nov 1997 and a record low of -98.600 % in Oct 1992. Germany Current Economic Situation Indicator: United Kingdom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.S001: Indicator of Economic Sentiment: ZEW.

United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation: Positive Response data was reported at 10.783 Score in Jan 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.408 Score for Dec 2022. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation: Positive Response data is updated monthly, averaging 11.274 Score from Mar 2010 (Median) to Jan 2023, with 155 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.944 Score in Sep 2020 and a record low of 5.997 Score in Dec 2012. United Kingdom Consumer Confidence Score: GB: Current Financial Situation: Positive Response data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ipsos Group S.A.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IPSOS: Consumer Confidence Survey.

We don't know exactly what the climate will be like in the future, so we use climate models to project likely futures.Climate models are computer programmes that are based on the well-established laws of physics that define the behaviour of our atmosphere and oceans. They solve complex mathematic equations, and by combining our knowledge of the past and current climate along with assumptions about the economic, social and physical changes to our environment, they predict the possible future climates

Graph and download economic data for General government gross debt for United Kingdom (GGGDTAGBA188N) from 1980 to 2024 about United Kingdom, gross, debt, and government.

The economy of the United Kingdom grew by 0.2 percent in March 2025, after growing by 0.5 percent in February 2025. As of the most recent month, the UK economy is around four percent larger than it was in February 2020, just before the start of COVID-19 lockdowns. After a record 19.6 percent decline in GDP in April 2020, the UK economy quickly returned to growth in the following months, and grew through most of 2021. Cost of living crisis lingers into 2025 As of December 2024, just over half of people in the UK reported that their cost of living was higher than it was in the previous month. Although this is a decline from the peak of the crisis in 2022 when over 90 percent of people reported a higher cost of living, households are evidently still under severe pressure. While wage growth has outpaced inflation since July 2023, overall consumer prices were 20 percent higher in late 2024 than they were in late 2021. For food and energy, which lower income households spend more on, late 2024 prices were almost 30 percent higher when compared with late 2021. According to recent estimates, living standards, as measured by changes in disposable income fell by 2.1 percent in 2022/23, but did start to grow again in 2023/24. Late 2023 recession followed by growth in 2024 In December 2023, the UK economy was approximately the same size as it was a year earlier, and struggled to achieve modest growth throughout that year. Going into 2023, a surge in energy costs, as well as high interest rates, created an unfavorable environment for UK consumers and businesses. The inflationary pressures that drove these problems did start to subside, however, with inflation falling to 3.9 percent in November 2023, down from a peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022. Although relatively strong economic growth occurred in the first half of 2024, with GDP growing by 0.7 percent, and 0.4 percent in the first two quarters of the year, zero growth was reported in the third quarter of the year. Long-term issues, such as low business investment, weak productivity growth, and regional inequality, will likely continue to hamper the economy going forward.

As of 2023, 36 percent of SMEs in the United Kingdom reported that increasing costs were one of the main obstacles to running their business, with a further 32 percent reporting the current economic climate as a main concern.

The Politbarometer has been conducted since 1977 on an almost monthly basis by the Research Group for Elections (Forschungsgruppe Wahlen) for the Second German Television (ZDF). Since 1990, this database has also been available for the new German states. The survey focuses on the opinions and attitudes of the voting population in the Federal Republic on current political topics, parties, politicians, and voting behavior. From 1990 to 1995 and from 1999 onward, the Politbarometer surveys were conducted separately in the eastern and western federal states (Politbarometer East and Politbarometer West). The separate monthly surveys of a year are integrated into a cumulative data set that includes all surveys of a year and all variables of the respective year. The Politbarometer short surveys, collected with varying frequency throughout the year, are integrated into the annual cumulation starting from 2003.

Indicator : Regional Future Business Activity IndexTheme : Monthly BusinessSource : NatWest, UK regional PMI report Frequency : MonthlyDefinition : Based on how optimistic a business is for the upcoming 12 months. The index is the sum of the percentage of ‘higher’ responses and half the percentage of ‘unchanged’ responses. The indices vary between 0 and 100, with a reading above 50 indicating an overall increase compared to the previous month, and below 50 an overall decrease. The indices are then seasonally adjusted. Latest Period : August 2024Released : September 2024Next Update : October 2024 Link : https://www.natwest.com/business/insights/economics/economic-outlook.html

This dataset is comprised of 65 elite interviews conducted between April 2023 and February 2024 in Germany and the United Kingdom. 64 of the interviews are with either current or former MPs at the Bundestag and Westminster parliaments. The interviews explore the perspectives, beliefs and motivations of national level politicians in relation to climate change mitigation to understand politicians' role in fostering social transformations.

The interviews were undertaken in relation to two research projects: (1) Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), (Economic and Social Research Council. UKRI project reference: ES/S012257/1) and (2) Deep Decarbonisation: The Democratic Challenge of Navigating Governance Traps, (European Research Council. Grant agreement ID: 882601).

For the CAST project, the aim was to gain deeper knowledge about political decision makers' understanding and engagement of climate change in the UK to ascertain whether this either advances or prevents further societal change amongst publics.

For the DeepDCarb project, comparative UK/Germany interviews were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the beliefs, motivations and incentives of MPs political behaviour in relation to climate change.

The Centre for Climate Change Transformations (C3T) will be a global hub for understanding the profound changes required to address climate change. At its core, is a fundamental question of enormous social significance: how can we as a society live differently - and better - in ways that meet the urgent need for rapid and far-reaching emission reductions?

While there is now strong international momentum on action to tackle climate change, it is clear that critical targets (such as keeping global temperature rise to well within 2 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels) will be missed without fundamental transformations across all parts of society. C3T's aim is to advance society's understanding of how to transform lifestyles, organisations and social structures in order to achieve a low-carbon future, which is genuinely sustainable over the long-term.

Our Centre will focus on people as agents of transformation in four challenging areas of everyday life that impact directly on climate change but have proven stubbornly resistant to change: consumption of goods and physical products, food and diet, travel, and heating/cooling. We will work across multiple scales (individual, community, organisational, national and global) to identify and experiment with various routes to achieving lasting change in these challenging areas. In particular, we will test how far focussing on 'co-benefits' will accelerate the pace of change. Co-benefits are outcomes of value to individuals and society, over and above the benefits from reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These may include improved health and wellbeing, reduced waste, better air quality, greater social equality, security, and affordability, as well as increased ability to adapt and respond to future climate change. For example, low-carbon travel choices (such as cycling and car sharing) may bring health, social and financial benefits that are important for motivating behaviour and policy change. Likewise, aligning environmental and social with economic objectives is vital for behaviour and organisational change within businesses.

Our Research Themes recognise that transformative change requires: inspiring yet workable visions of the future (Theme 1); learning lessons from past and current societal shifts (Theme 2); experimenting with different models of social change (Theme 3); together with deep and sustained engagement with communities, business and governments, and a research culture that reflects our aims and promotes action (Theme 4).

Our Centre integrates academic knowledge from disciplines across the social and physical sciences with practical insights to generate widespread impact. Our team includes world-leading researchers with expertise in climate change behaviour, choices and governance. We will use a range of theories and research methods to fill key gaps in our understanding of transformation at different spatial and social scales, and show how to target interventions to impactful actions, groups and moments in time.

We will partner with practitioners (e.g., Climate Outreach, Greener-UK, China Centre for Climate Change Communication), policy-makers (e.g., Welsh Government) and companies (e.g., Anglian Water) to develop and test new ways of engaging with the public, governments and businesses in the UK and internationally. We will enhance citizens', organisations' and societal leaders' capacity to tackle climate change through various mechanisms, including secondments, citizens' panels, small-scale project funding, seminars, training, workshops, papers, blog posts and an interactive website. We will also experiment with transformations within academia itself, by trialling sustainable working practices...