Index of Services, UK: April 2021

• Monthly services grew by 3.4% between March 2021 and April 2021 but was still 4.1% below its February 2020 level, the last month of "normal" trading conditions prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

• The growth in services was driven by a rise in 12 out of the 14 sectors in the Index of Services, the largest contributions to growth being from wholesale and retail trade, education, and accommodation and food service activities.

• Services output for the three months to April 2021 rose by 1.4% compared with the three months to January 2021; this was led by wholesale and retail trade, which rose by 2.7%.

• The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant negative impact on output of the services industries, although each sector has been affected differently; for further and detailed analysis of the effect on our monthly Index of Services estimate, please see our article Coronavirus and the impact on output in the UK economy, UK: April 2021, published today (11 June 2021).

Data sources and collection

The Index of Services (IoS) is compiled using data from several different sources:

• ONS: Monthly Business Survey (44.4%)

• ONS: Retail Sales Inquiry (6.4%)

• ONS: Government Expenditure (20.1%)

• ONS: Households' Expenditure (15.3%)

• ONS: Finance Expenditure (7.8%)

• Other (5.9%)

The Monthly Business Survey (MBS) data are published alongside this release in MBS turnover in services industries.

Data relating to the retail industry are broadly comparable with Retail sales, Great Britain: April 2021, published on 21 May 2021.

For further information on what is included within Other, please see the GDP(o) data sources catalogue.

Percentage of each data source is based on their gross value added weight. The GDP(o) methods and sources pages provide more information on the data that underpin these statistics; of particular note is the GDP(o) data sources catalogue.

From February 2018, Value Added Tax (VAT) data have also been included across 64 production industries for small- and medium-sized businesses. For more information, see VAT turnover data in national accounts: background and methodology.

Quality and methodology

More quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in the Index of Services QMI.

Blue Book 2021

In Blue Book 2021, a new framework will be introduced to improve how we produce volume estimates of GDP for balanced years as part of the supply use process. This framework includes the implementation of double-deflated industry-level gross value added for the first time. This improvement will be reflected in the September quarterly national accounts and October monthly GDP estimates. On 28 June we will publish Blue Book 2021 indicative impacts of this change to industry level gross value added volume.

Consultation to the release time

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) currently has a consultation to get feedback as to the release time of these statistics. This consultation closes on 25 June 2021. If you have any comments about the release time of official statistics, please contact the OSR at regulation@statistics.gov.uk.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Monthly Business Survey is fully online, meaning that business owners can log on from any location and submit their data at an appropriate time. Most other data in the Index of Services come from within the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and therefore will be less affected than survey data.

Our latest data and analysis on the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the UK economy and population are now available. This webpage is the hub for all special virus-related publications, drawing on all available data.

The ONS has released a public statement on coronavirus and the production of statistics. Specific queries must be directed to media.relations@ons.gov.uk.