1. Main points
Overall retail footfall decreased by 5% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week and was 10% lower when compared with the equivalent week of 2023 (MRI OnLocation). Section 3: Consumer behaviour.
UK credit and debit card payments increased by 4% in the week to 22 November 2024 when compared with the previous week but decreased by 16% when compared with the equivalent week of 2023; total Revolut debit card spending increased by 5% in the week to 10 November 2024 when compared with the equivalent week of 2023 (Bank of England, Revolut). Section 3: Consumer behaviour.
The Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) standardised turnover balance estimate decreased by 0.6 percentage points between September and October 2024 (final results from Wave 120 of the BICS). Section 4: Business and workforce.
The System Average Price (SAP) of gas increased by 3% to 3.962 pence per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week but decreased by 1% when compared with the equivalent week of 2023; the System Price of electricity decreased by 7% to 8.735 p/kWh when compared with the previous week, but increased by 3% when compared with the equivalent week of 2023 (National Gas Transmission, Elexon). Section 5: Energy.
The number of ship visits to major UK ports decreased by 11% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week and decreased by 13% when compared with the equivalent week of 2023; the number of UK flights decreased by 3% in the most recent week but was broadly unchanged against the equivalent week of 2023 (exactEarth, EUROCONTROL). Section 6: Transport.
The total number of Energy Building Performance Certificates (EPCs) for new dwellings across England and Wales in the week to 24 November 2024 was 5% lower when compared with the equivalent period of 2023 (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
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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.
3. Consumer behaviour
UK credit and debit card payments
Aggregate UK credit and debit card payments increased by 4% in the week to 22 November 2024 compared with the previous week but decreased by 16% when compared with the equivalent week of 2023.
Weekly and monthly UK credit and debit card payment indices are available in our accompanying UK credit and debit payments dataset.
Revolut spending on debit cards
This week sees the reintroduction of our Revolut spending on debit card estimates. These data were paused temporarily to implement an improved methodology and enhanced quality assurance processes for these data. Our Revolut spending on debit card estimates were last updated in January 2024. The estimates published in this release, and in our accompanying dataset, replace those previously available.
Figure 1: Total Revolut debit card spending increased by 5% in the week to 10 November 2024 when compared with the equivalent week of 2023
Total Revolut debit card spending, 7-day average, nominal prices, non-seasonally adjusted, UK, 1 January 2022 to 10 November 2024
Source: Revolut
Notes:
Revolut data are presented on a per-account basis to account for Revolut's change in user-base over time, so that comparisons can be made on a like-for-like basis over a longer time series.
Revolut customers tend to be younger and more metropolitan than the average UK consumer, with an average age of 36 years in the UK, so spending may not be representative of the overall UK macroeconomic picture.
Users should note that card spending over time is pushed upwards by the impacts of both inflation on value of transactions, and cash-to-card conversion where within the financial payment ecosystem there is a shift away from cash spending towards card spending. We make no adjustments for these considerations.
Download this chart Figure 1: Total Revolut debit card spending increased by 5% in the week to 10 November 2024 when compared with the equivalent week of 2023
Image .csv .xlsTotal Revolut debit card spending increased by 5% in the week to 10 November 2024 when compared with the equivalent week of 2023, with the largest increase in the 55 years and over age group, at 14%. Debit card spending by those in the 18 to 34 years age group was broadly unchanged when compared with the equivalent week of 2023.
Our accompanying Revolut spending on debit cards dataset is available.
National retail footfall
Figure 2: Overall retail footfall decreased by 5% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week and was 10% lower than the equivalent week of 2023
Index of daily retail footfall volumes, non-seasonally adjusted, UK, 1 January 2023 to 24 November 2024
Source: MRI OnLocation
Notes:
- Peaks in footfall correspond to bank holidays and school holidays and for the previous 12 months are as follows: Week 51, 2023 Christmas bank holidays and school holidays; Week 7, 2024 February school half term; Week 15, 2024 Easter bank holidays and school holidays; Week 21, 2024 late May bank holiday and school half term, Weeks 30 to 35, 2024 school holidays, Week 43, 2024 October half term.
Download this chart Figure 2: Overall retail footfall decreased by 5% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week and was 10% lower than the equivalent week of 2023
Image .csv .xlsHigh street and shopping centre footfall both decreased in the week to 24 November 2024 by 9% and 2%, respectively, when compared with the previous week, while retail park footfall remained broadly unchanged. When compared with the equivalent week of 2023, both high street and shopping centre footfall decreased by 15% and 9%, respectively, while retail park footfall increased by 1%.
When compared with the previous week, overall retail footfall decreased in all 12 of the UK regions. The largest week-on-week decreases were in Yorkshire and The Humber, the North East and the North West of England, where retail footfall decreased by 13%, 10% and 10%, respectively.
When compared with the equivalent week of 2023, overall retail footfall decreased in all 12 of the UK regions. The largest year-on-year decrease was in the South West of England, which fell by 18%.
The week-on-week and year-on-year decreases in footfall, across all regions, may have been a result of reduced movement surrounding "Storm Bert" and the adverse weather conditions over this period.
Automotive fuel spending
The annual growth rate in average fuel price increased by 1 percentage point in the week to 17 November 2024, compared with the previous week, but was 2 percentage points lower than the equivalent week of 2023.
The annual growth rate in the estimated fuel demand per transaction remained broadly unchanged in the week to 17 November 2024 when compared with both the previous week and the equivalent week of 2023.
Our accompanying Automotive fuel spending dataset is available.
Back to table of contents4. Business and workforce
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) Quality and Methodology Information.
To enable comparisons, we have created a reweighted gross domestic product (GDP) estimate, termed as GDP*, which only includes the same industries as those covered within the BICS.
Figure 3: The Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) standardised turnover balance estimate decreased by 0.6 percentage points between September and October 2024
BICS turnover balance standardised and monthly GDP* estimates, UK, 15 January 2023 to 15 October 2024
Source: Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) from the Office for National Statistics
Notes:
- Final weighted results, Wave 7 to 120 of the Office for National Statistics's (ONS's) Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) and adjusted monthly gross domestic product (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 published monthly GDP.
- In Wave 53, the BICS question changed from "the last two weeks" to "the last month". From Wave 55 the question changed to ask specifically about the most recent calendar month.
- 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.
Download this chart Figure 3: The Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) standardised turnover balance estimate decreased by 0.6 percentage points between September and October 2024
Image .csv .xlsAdvanced notification of potential redundancies
The number of potential redundancies in the week to 10 November 2024 was 20% lower than the equivalent week of 2023, calculated as a four-week rolling average. The number of employers proposing redundancies was 18% lower when compared with the same period.
Comparisons with the equivalent period a year ago help to account for any seasonal impacts. For more information, our accompanying Advanced notification of potential redundancies dataset is available.
Back to table of contents5. Energy
System Average Price of gas
The System Average Price (SAP) of gas increased by 3% in the week to 24 November 2024 compared with the previous week, from a seven-day average price of 3.849 pence per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) to 3.962 p/kWh. This was 1% lower than the equivalent week of 2023, which had a seven-day average price of 4.006 p/kWh.
Our accompanying System Average Price of gas dataset is available.
System Price of electricity
The System Price of electricity decreased by 7% in the week to 24 November 2024 compared with the previous week, from a seven-day average price of 9.409 pence per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) to 8.735 p/kWh. This was 3% higher than the equivalent week of 2023, which had a seven-day average price of 8.493 p/kWh.
Our accompanying System Price of electricity dataset is available.
Back to table of contents6. Transport
Daily UK flights
The daily average number of UK flights decreased by 3% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week but was broadly unchanged against the equivalent week of 2023. The week-on-week decrease may have been because of the adverse weather from "Storm Bert" over the weekend or recent travel disruptions.
Our accompanying Daily UK flights dataset is available.
Weekly shipping indicators
Figure 4: The total number of ship visits to major UK ports decreased by 11% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week
Ship visits to selected UK ports, non-seasonally adjusted, UK, 5 January 2020 to 24 November 2024
Source: exactEarth and the Office for National Statistics
Notes:
- See the accompanying Weekly shipping indicators dataset for notable dates and weather events.
Download this chart Figure 4: The total number of ship visits to major UK ports decreased by 11% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week
Image .csv .xlsThe weekly count of total ships visiting the selected UK ports decreased by 11% in the week to 24 November 2024 when compared with the previous week. For this period, the weekly count of cargo and tanker ship visits decreased by 17%.
When compared with the same week of 2023, the total number of ship visits decreased by 13%, while visits from cargo and tanker ships decreased by 17%.
Again, decreases in ship visits may have been because of the recent adverse weather conditions seen across the UK.
Our accompanying Weekly shipping indicators dataset is available.
Back to table of contents7. Housing
Energy Performance Building Certificates
The total number of Energy Performance Building Certificates (EPCs) in the week to 24 November 2024 was broadly unchanged when compared with the previous week for new dwellings across England and Wales, and was 7% higher for existing dwellings.
The largest week-on-week increases in EPCs for new dwellings were in the North East of England and the East Midlands, which rose by 25% and 12%, respectively. The largest decreases were in the West Midlands and the South East of England, which both fell by 11%.
For EPCs in existing dwellings, the largest week-on-week increases were in the East Midlands and the South West of England, which rose by 51% and 12%, respectively. The largest decrease was in London, which fell by 5%. When compared with the equivalent period of 2023, the total number of EPCs for new dwellings was 5% lower, while the number of EPCs for existing dwellings was 13% higher.
A Weekly EPCs for domestic properties dataset produced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, is available.
Back to table of contents8. Data
System Average Price (SAP) of gas
Dataset | Released 28 November 2024
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 28 November 2024
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 28 November 2024
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.
Back to table of contents10. 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
UK credit and debit card payments; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Revolut spending on debit cards dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Automotive fuel spending dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Company incorporations, voluntary dissolutions and compulsory dissolutions dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Advanced notification of potential redundancies dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
System Average Price of gas dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
System Price of electricity dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Weekly shipping indicators dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Daily UK flights dataset; last updated on 28 November 2024.
Monthly data release
Monthly Direct Debit failure rate and average transaction amount dataset; last updated on 14 November 2024.
Value Added Tax (VAT) flash estimates dataset; last updated on 17 October 2024.
Renter affordability for new tenancies dataset; last updated on 14 November 2024.
Quarterly data release
- Sales and jobs in small businesses dataset; last updated on 7 November 2024.
Discontinued data series
Transactions at Pret A Manger dataset; last updated on 31 October 2024 with a fortnightly data release; please note these estimates are no longer being updated because of cessation of our data sharing agreement.
Online job advert estimates dataset; last updated on 24 October 2024 with a weekly data release; please note these estimates are no longer being updated with alternative data being provided from December 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, using 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.
Back to table of contents12. Cite this statistical bulletin
Office for National Statistics (ONS), published 28 November 2024, ONS website, statistical bulletin, Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators: 28 November 2024