1. Main points
The seasonally adjusted Direct Debit failure rate for "Electricity and Gas" decreased for the first time this year by 1% in May 2025 compared with the previous month; when compared with May 2024 it increased by 20% (Vocalink and Pay.UK). Section 3: Consumer behaviour.
Seasonally adjusted total Revolut debit card spending increased by 3% in May 2025 compared with the previous month and increased by 11% when compared with May 2024 (Revolut). Section 3: Consumer behaviour.
Overall retail footfall increased by 2% in the week to 15 June 2025, compared with the previous week and increased by 1% when compared with the equivalent week of 2024 (MRI OnLocation). Section 3: Consumer behaviour.
The number of new online job adverts increased by 27% in May 2025 compared with the previous month, which is the highest number of new online job adverts since June 2023; but when compared with May 2024 this only increased by 1% (Textkernel). Section 4: Business and Workforce.
The number of firms reporting an increase in turnover in May 2025, when compared with the previous month, was broadly equal to the number of firms reporting a decrease (HM Revenue and Customs Value Added Tax returns). Section 4: Business and Workforce.
The System Average Price (SAP) of gas decreased by 3% to 2.843 pence per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) in May 2025 compared with the previous month, while the System price of electricity decreased by 8% to 6.944p/kWh over the same period (Elexon, National Gas Transmission). Section 5: Energy.
The seasonally adjusted total number of ship visits to major UK ports decreased by 1% in May 2025 compared with the previous month while the seasonally adjusted total number of flights increased by 1%; when compared with the equivalent month of 2024, ship visits decreased by 9% but the number of flights increased by 3% (exactEarth, EUROCONTROL). Section 6: Transport.
The seasonally adjusted total number of Energy Performance Building Certificates (EPCs) for new dwellings across England and Wales increased by 4% in the month of May 2025 compared with the previous month; for existing dwellings, it increased by 12% over the same period (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government). Section 7: Housing.
These are official statistics in development, and we advise caution when using the data. The data sources used to compile these indicators are regularly reviewed to ensure they are representative and relevant, which may mean indicators change at short notice. Read more in Section 10: Data sources and quality.
2. Latest indicators at a glance
Latest indicators at a glance
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Notes:
Card spending over time is pushed upwards by the impacts of both inflation on value of transactions and cash-to-card conversion.
Revolut adjustments to user count are at an aggregate level and as such age bands may not adjust evenly.
Indicators with SA in the title have been seasonally adjusted.
Existing weekly EPC data can show sudden spikes when housing associations lodge multiple expired EPCs at once. This was especially noticeable in the week to 15 June 2025 for the West Midlands, Yorkshire and The Humber, East Midlands, and London.
3. Consumer behaviour
Monthly Direct Debit average transaction amount and failure rate
The monthly Direct Debit failure rate and average transaction amount are anonymised and aggregated datasets made available to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) by Pay.UK and Vocalink. The data are unadjusted for inflation and reflect economic activity in nominal terms.
For further details on what is covered within this indicator, see our Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators methodology.
In May 2025, the seasonally adjusted 'Total' Direct Debit failure rate increased by 1% compared with the previous month. Failure rates for "Electricity and Gas" and "Fitness Facilities" fell by 1% and 2%, respectively, but rose by 1% for "Water" and "Loans". For "Mortgages", it remained broadly unchanged.
When compared with May 2024, the seasonally adjusted 'Total' Direct Debit failure rate increased by 6%, with failure rates for "Electricity and Gas", "Fitness Facilities", "Water", and "Loans" increasing by 20%, 13%, 11% and 8%, respectively.
Figure 1: The “Total” Direct Debit failure rate was 2.29% in May 2025, compared with 2.26% in April 2025
Direct Debit failure rate, UK, January 2019 to May 2025, seasonally adjusted
Source: Pay.UK and Vocalink
Notes:
- Data include both individual and business Direct Debit transactions.
- The total series covers all Direct Debit failure, comprising data beyond the five categories published in our Monthly Direct Debit failure rate and average transaction amount dataset.
- The underlying failure rates are low, so month-to-month volatility is expected within this series.
Download this chart Figure 1: The “Total” Direct Debit failure rate was 2.29% in May 2025, compared with 2.26% in April 2025
Image .csv .xlsThe seasonally adjusted 'Total' Direct Debit average transaction amount remained broadly unchanged in May 2025 compared with the previous month. The average transaction amounts for "Loans" and "Electricity and Gas" decreased by 3% and 1%, respectively, while for "Water" it increased by 1%.
When compared with May 2024, the seasonally adjusted 'Total' Direct Debit average transaction amount increased by 2%. This was because of increases in "Water", "Mortgages", and "Fitness Facilities" of 20%, 6%, and 4%, respectively, but counteracted by decreases in "Electricity and Gas" and "Loans" of 8% and 4%, respectively.
Figure 2: The Direct Debit average transaction amount for May 2025 remained broadly unchanged, compared with April 2025
Average transaction amount, UK, January 2019 to May 2025, seasonally adjusted
Source: Pay.UK and Vocalink
Notes:
- Data include both individual and business Direct Debit transactions.
- The total series covers all Direct Debit transactions, comprising data beyond the five categories published in our Monthly Direct Debit failure rate and average transaction amount dataset.
- Data are not adjusted for inflation.
Download this chart Figure 2: The Direct Debit average transaction amount for May 2025 remained broadly unchanged, compared with April 2025
Image .csv .xlsOur accompanying Monthly Direct Debit failure rate and average transaction amount dataset is available.
Revolut spending on debit cards
In May 2025 seasonally adjusted total Revolut debit card spending increased by 3% compared with the previous month. The largest increases by sector were seen in “Entertainment” and “Restaurants” of 7% and 5%, respectively.
When compared with May 2024, seasonally adjusted total Revolut debit card spending increased by 11%, the largest increases by sector were seen in “Entertainment”, “Health”, “Utilities” and “Shopping” of 26%, 18%, 18% and 15%, respectively.
Our accompanying Revolut spending on debit cards dataset is available.
National retail footfall
Figure 3: Overall retail footfall increased by 2% in the week to 15 June 2025 compared with the previous week, and by 1% compared with the same week in 2024
Index of daily retail footfall volumes, UK,1 January 2023 to 15 June 2025, non-seasonally adjusted
Source: MRI OnLocation
Notes:
- Peaks seen in footfall correspond to bank holidays and school holidays. Over the previous 12 months notable dates were as follows: Weeks 30 to 35, 2024 school summer holidays; Week 43, 2024 October half-term; Week 51, 2024 Christmas bank holidays and school holidays; Week 8, 2025 February half-term; Week 15, 2025 Easter bank holidays and school holidays; Week 22, 2025 May bank holiday and half term.
Download this chart Figure 3: Overall retail footfall increased by 2% in the week to 15 June 2025 compared with the previous week, and by 1% compared with the same week in 2024
Image .csv .xlsIn the week to 15 June 2025, high street footfall increased by 5% compared to the previous week, while retail parks saw a decrease of 1% and shopping centres remained broadly unchanged. When compared with the equivalent week of 2024, high streets saw a 3% increase but retail parks and shopping centres both decreased by 1% and 2%, respectively.
Overall retail footfall increased in 10 of the 12 UK countries and regions compared with the previous week. The largest increase was in the East, which increased by 6%. Of the two UK countries and English regions which saw a decrease in the latest week, the largest decrease was for Northern Ireland, by 2%.
Automotive fuel spending
In the month of May 2025, the annual growth rate for the average price of automotive fuel decreased by 2 percentage points, compared with the previous month, and decreased by 13 percentage points, when compared with May 2024.
The annual growth rate for average automotive fuel demand per transaction increased by 1 percentage point compared with the previous month and by 8 percentage points when compared with May 2024.
Our accompanying Automotive fuel spending dataset is available.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys4. Business and workforce
Textkernel online job adverts
Details on the methods used to compile these estimates are available in our measuring labour demand volumes across the UK using Textkernel data user guide.
Figure 4: The number of new online job adverts increased by 27% to approximately 834,000 in May 2025, compared with April 2025
Volume of new job adverts, UK, January 2020 to May 2025, non-seasonally adjusted
Source: Textkernel
Notes:
- New adverts represent the total number of adverts that have gone online in the month, calculated by counting the number of adverts that appear for the first time across the calendar month.
- Counts are rounded to the nearest five.
Download this chart Figure 4: The number of new online job adverts increased by 27% to approximately 834,000 in May 2025, compared with April 2025
Image .csv .xlsThe number of new online job adverts increased by 27% in May 2025 compared with April 2025, which is the highest number of new online job adverts since June 2023. The number of new online job adverts increased by only 1% when compared with May 2024.
Figure 5: The number of new online job adverts increased in 6 of the 12 UK countries and English regions in May 2025 when compared with May 2024
Volume of new adverts, UK countries and English regions, January 2020 to May 2025, non-seasonally adjusted
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Notes:
New adverts represent the total number of adverts that have gone online in the month, calculated by counting the number of adverts that appear for the first time across the calendar month.
Counts are rounded to the nearest five.
For information on how adverts were assigned to geographical locations, see our Measuring labour demand volumes across the UK using Textkernel data user guide.
The number of new online job adverts increased in 6 of the 12 UK countries and English regions in May 2025 when compared with the previous year. The largest percentage increase was in the East Midlands, increasing by 8%, while the largest percentage decrease was in the East of England, decreasing by 6%.
The number of new online job adverts increased in 13 of the 26 occupation groups in May 2025 when compared with the previous year. The occupation group that saw the largest percentage increase in the volume of new adverts over this period was "Science, research, engineering and technology professionals", which saw an increase of 28%.
The occupation group with the largest decrease was "Health professionals", which saw a decrease of 19%, when compared with the previous year. This is the third month in a row that this occupation category has had the largest decrease when compared with the previous year.
Details on the methods used to compile these estimates are available in our measuring labour demand volumes across the UK using Textkernel data user guide. For further tables using similar methodology and sources by local authority and 4-digit SOC, see our Labour demand by Standard Occupation Classification datasets.
Our accompanying Textkernel new online job adverts dataset is available.
Value Added Tax flash estimates
Turnover diffusion indices are an aggregate measure used to track whether most firms are reporting an increase or decrease in turnover in their Value Added Tax (VAT) returns. They are calculated as the percentage of firms with increasing turnover, minus the percentage of firms with decreasing turnover.
These estimates have been weighted according to each industry's contribution to the economy. As services have the greatest contribution, they have a greater contribution to the total index.
The indices are constructed to lie between 1 and negative 1. An index of 0.05 means that 5% more firms reported an increase in turnover compared with the previous month than those reporting a decrease in turnover. Conversely, an index of negative 0.05 means that 5% more firms reported a decrease in turnover compared with the previous month.
Figure 6: The number of firms reporting an increase in turnover in May 2025, when compared with the previous month, was broadly equal to the number of firms reporting a decrease
Weighted Value Added Tax (VAT) turnover diffusion indices, seasonally adjusted, UK, January 2020 to May 2025
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Notes:
These data are current price so may reflect elements of inflation.
The shaded areas represent the 95% confidence limits.
The confidence limits are 1.96 standard deviations of the seasonally adjusted series, centred around zero. If a data point is outside of these limits, it is a statistically significant difference.
The number of firms reporting an increase in turnover in May 2025, when compared with the previous month, was broadly equal to the number of firms reporting a decrease. This is an improvement from April 2025 when a net 1% more firms reported a decrease in turnover compared with the previous month. This is after seasonal adjustment and is within normal month-on-month variation.
A net 1% of firms within the construction sector reported increased turnover on the previous month, increasing 5 percentage points from April 2025 and is within normal month-on-month variation.
The services sector, the largest contributing sector to gross domestic product (GDP), saw a broadly equal number of firms reporting an increase in turnover in May 2025, to the number reporting a decrease, compared with the previous month. This has increased by 1 percentage point from April 2025 and is within normal month-on-month variation.
The production sector saw a net 2% of firms reporting a decrease in turnover in May 2025 compared with the previous month, and this has decreased 5 percentage points from April 2025. A net of 3% of firms in the agriculture sector reported increased turnover on the previous month, increasing 1 percentage point from April 2025.
The data are seasonally adjusted. More information on the compilation and methodology of these estimates can be found in our Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators methodology.
Business impact and insights
The Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) collects data from selected industries and does not have full coverage of the UK economy. For more information on the industries covered in the BICS sample, see our Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) QMI.
We have created a reweighted gross domestic product (GDP) estimate, termed as GDP*, to enable comparisons, which only includes the same industries as those covered within the BICS.
Figure 7: The Business Insights and Conditions Survey standardised turnover balance slightly increased by 0.1 percentage points between April and May 2025
Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) standardised turnover balance and monthly gross domestic product* (GDP*) estimates, UK, 1 January 2023 to 31 May 2025
Source: BICS from the Office for National Statistics
Notes:
Final weighted results are from Waves 76 to 134 of our BICS and adjusted monthly GDP (termed as GDP*) estimates.
BICS turnover balances have been standardised and adjusted for magnitude and trading status.
GDP* is a comparison measure derived to cover the same industries as those covered by BICS, which are then re-weighted. This differs from our published monthly GDP.
The BICS asks businesses to report how their value of turnover compares with the previous month, excluding seasonal changes. GDP* excludes any inflationary impact and reflects the changes in volume terms.
Data are plotted in the middle of the reference period, which is the 15th day of the month.
BICS turnover balances are subject to revision because they are calculated using a rolling average of monthly GDP estimates.
Download this chart Figure 7: The Business Insights and Conditions Survey standardised turnover balance slightly increased by 0.1 percentage points between April and May 2025
Image .csv .xlsAdvanced notification of potential redundancies
The number of potential redundancies was 3% lower in the four weeks to 1 June 2025 than the equivalent four weeks of 2024. The number of employers proposing redundancies was 5% higher when compared over the same period.
Comparisons with the equivalent period a year ago help account for any seasonal impacts. For more information, our accompanying Advanced notification of potential redundancies dataset is available.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys5. Energy
System Average Price of gas and System Price of electricity
Figure 8: The System Average Price of gas decreased by 3% and the System Price of electricity decreased by 8% in May 2025, compared with the previous month
System Average Price (SAP) of gas and System Price of electricity, monthly average and seven-day rolling average, UK, 1 January 2022 to 15 June 2025, non-seasonally adjusted
Source: Elexon, National Gas Transmission
Download this chart Figure 8: The System Average Price of gas decreased by 3% and the System Price of electricity decreased by 8% in May 2025, compared with the previous month
Image .csv .xlsThe System Average Price of gas decreased by 3% in May 2025, compared with the previous month. It decreased from a monthly average price of 2.917 pence per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) to 2.843p/kWh. This was 8% higher than May 2024, which had a monthly average price of 2.637p/kWh.
The System price of electricity decreased by 8% in May 2025, compared with the previous month. It decreased from a monthly average price of 7.509p/kWh to 6.944p/kWh. This was 4% lower than May 2024, which had a monthly average price of 7.201p/kWh.
Our accompanying System Average Price of gas dataset and System Price of electricity dataset are available.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys6. Transport
Daily UK flights
In the month of May 2025, the seasonally adjusted total number of flights increased by 1% compared with the previous month and increased by 3% when compared with the equivalent month of 2024.
Our accompanying Daily UK flights dataset is available.
Shipping indicators
The seasonally adjusted total number of ship visits to selected UK ports decreased by 1% in May 2025 compared with the previous month. Over the same period, the count of cargo ship and tanker visits decreased by 2%.
When compared with the equivalent month of 2024, the seasonally adjusted total number of ship visits decreased by 9% and cargo ship and tanker visits decreased by 7%.
Figure 9: The seasonally adjusted total number of ship visits to selected UK ports was 4,919 in May 2025, slightly down from 4,957 in April 2025
All ship visits, seasonally adjusted, UK, January 2022 to May 2025
Source: exactEarth and Office for National Statistics
Download this chart Figure 9: The seasonally adjusted total number of ship visits to selected UK ports was 4,919 in May 2025, slightly down from 4,957 in April 2025
Image .csv .xlsOur accompanying Weekly shipping indicators dataset is available.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys7. Housing
Energy Performance Building Certificates
The seasonally adjusted total number of Energy Performance Building Certificates (EPCs) for new dwellings across England and Wales increased by 4% in the month of May 2025 compared with the previous month, and increased by 12% for existing dwellings, over the same period.
When compared with May 2024, the seasonally adjusted total number of EPCs for new dwellings decreased by 3% in May 2025, but the number of EPCs for existing dwellings increased by 16% over the same period.
Our accompanying Energy Performance Building Certificates (EPC) dataset is available The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's weekly EPCs for domestic properties dataset is available.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys8. Data
System Average Price (SAP) of gas
Dataset | Released 19 June 2025
Daily data showing System Average Price (SAP) of gas, and rolling seven-day average, traded in Great Britain over the On-the-Day Commodity Market (OCM). These are official statistics in development. Source: National Gas Transmission.
System Price of electricity
Dataset | Released 19 June 2025
Daily data showing the System Price of electricity, and rolling seven-day average, in Great Britain. These are official statistics in development. Source: Elexon
Daily UK flights
Dataset | Released 19 June 2025
Daily data showing UK flight numbers and rolling seven-day average, including flights to, from, and within the UK. These are official statistics in development. Source: EUROCONTROL.
This section lists a selection of data available in this publication. Please note that because of our data sharing agreement with MRI onLocation, we are unable to provide a dataset for our footfall metric. For the full list of available datasets, please see our accompanying dataset page.
9. Glossary
Real-time indicator
A real-time indicator provides insights into economic activity using close-to-real-time big data, administrative data sources, rapid response surveys or experimental estimates, which represent useful economic and social concepts.
Seasonal adjustment
Seasonal adjustment is the identification and removal of consistent and systematic variation in time series associated with the time of year. For more information on seasonal variation, and how we implement seasonal adjustment, see Section 2 of our Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators methodology article.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys10. Data sources and quality
Official statistics in development
These statistics are labelled as official statistics in development. Until September 2023, these were called "experimental statistics". Read more about the change in our Guide to official statistics in development.
We are developing how we collect and produce the data to improve the quality of these statistics. Find out more in our Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators methodology article.
Once the developments are complete, we will review the statistics with the Statistics Head of Profession. We will decide if the statistics are of sufficient quality and value to be published as official statistics, or if further development is needed. Production may be stopped if they are not of sufficient quality or value. Users will be informed of the outcome and any changes.
We value your feedback on these statistics. If you would like to get in touch, please email realtime.indicators@ons.gov.uk.
Dataset release dates and intended release frequency
Latest release dates and intended release frequency of our associated datasets are available in this section. Please note that there may be some change to the intended release frequency for a variety of reasons, such as data availability. If you would like further information about any of these datasets, or previous release dates, please email realtime.indicators@ons.gov.uk.
Weekly data release
Revolut spending on debit cards dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Automotive fuel spending dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Company incorporations, voluntary dissolutions and compulsory dissolutions dataset; updated 30 January 2025.
Advanced notification of potential redundancies dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
System Average price of gas dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
System Price of electricity dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Energy Performance Building Certificates (EPC) dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Weekly shipping indicators dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Daily UK flights dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Monthly data release
Monthly Direct Debit failure rate and average transaction amount dataset; updated 12 June 2025.
Textkernel new online job adverts dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Value Added Tax (VAT) flash estimates dataset; updated 19 June 2025.
Renter affordability for new tenancies dataset; updated 12 June 2025.
Quarterly data release
- Sales and jobs in small businesses dataset; updated 7 November 2024.
Strengths and limitations
These statistics have been produced to provide timely indicators of the effect of developing world events on the UK economy and society. We use close-to-real-time big data, administrative data sources, rapid response surveys, or official statistics in development.
The data presented in this bulletin are reviewed and refreshed on a regular basis. Indicators are swapped in and out of the publication based on their suitability and availability.
Seasonality
Seasonal fluctuations are likely to be present in many of these indicators, so caution must be applied when interpreting changes in series that are not seasonally adjusted.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys12. Cite this statistical bulletin
Office for National Statistics (ONS), published 19 June 2025, ONS website, statistical bulletin, Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators: 19 June 2025