Index of Services, UK: June 2023

• Monthly services output is estimated to have increased by 0.2% in June 2023; this follows flat growth (0.0%) in May 2023 and 0.3% in April 2023 (both unrevised). 

• The Index of Services (IoS) saw monthly increases in 8 of the 14 sectors; the largest positive contributions were in information and communication and wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, which contributed 0.12 and  0.09 percentage points, respectively to the IoS monthly growth in June 2023.

• These increases were partially offset by human health and social work activities, which contributed negative 0.07 percentage points to the IoS monthly growth in June 2023; this sector was affected by industrial action by junior doctors, but it is not possible to quantify to what extent. 

• There was no explicit adjustment for the additional bank holiday held for the coronation of King Charles III on 8 May 2023 because this was an ad hoc event (non-regular calendar event); the timing of the bank holiday affects the number of trading days in May 2023, which users should consider when interpreting the data on monthly movements between May and June 2023.  

• The IoS is at the same level (0.0%) as February 2020, which was the last month of "normal" trading conditions prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; Currently, 8 of the 14 services sectors are above their February 2020 pre-pandemic level.   

• Looking at the longer term, services output growth in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2023 is estimated to have risen by 0.1%, compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2023; this is the third consecutive quarterly growth of 0.1% in services output.   

• The main positive contributing sectors over Quarter 2 2023 were information and communication, which contributed 0.10 percentage points, accommodation and food service activities, and human health and social work activities, which both contributed 0.06 percentage points; these gains were partially offset by professional, scientific and technical activities, which contributed negative 0.10 percentage points.

• For further and detailed analysis of the effect on our monthly IoS estimate, please see our GDP monthly estimate, UK: June 2023 bulletin, published 11 August 2023.

All data related to the Index of Services are available on our Related data page.

Data sources and collection   

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

• Office for National Statistics (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 our MBS turnover of services industries dataset.   

Data relating to the retail industry are broadly comparable with our Retail sales, Great Britain: June 2023 bulletin, published 21 July 2023.   

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

The percentage of each data source is based on their gross value-added weight. Our 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 our 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 our Index of Services QMI.   

Revisions to IoS   

In line with the National Accounts revision policy, this release gives data for June 2023 for the first time, with April and May 2023 also open for revisions.