Table of contents
1. Main points
Monthly production rose by 0.8% between July 2021 and August 2021, meaning output was 1.3% below its February 2020 level, the last month of "normal" trading conditions prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The monthly rise in production was led by an increase of 16.0% in the mining and quarrying sector; this was offset partially by decreases of 2.8% in the electricity and gas sector and 0.8% in the water supply and sewerage sector.
The 0.5% rise in manufacturing was driven by an increase in 9 of the 13 manufacturing subsectors and was led by a rise of 3.9% in the manufacture of transport equipment, although output in this subsector remains 24.2% below its February 2020 level; this was offset by a fall of 5.1% in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations.
Production output for the three months to August 2021 increased by 0.3%, compared with the three months to May 2021.
Manufacturing output remains 2.4% below its February 2020 level and mining and quarrying is 5.8% below, while electricity and gas is now 2.9% above its February 2020 level and water supply and sewerage is 5.3% above; for further and detailed analysis of how the Index of Production has changed since February 2020 please see our article Coronavirus and the impact on output in the UK economy: August 2021, published 13 October 2021.
2. Index of Production data
Index of Production time series
Dataset DIOP | Released 13 October 2021
Movements in the volume of production for the UK production industries: manufacturing, mining and quarrying, energy supply, and water and waste management. Figures are seasonally adjusted.
Output of the production industries
Dataset | Released 13 October 2021
Index values and growth rates for production, manufacturing and the main industrial groupings in the UK.
Index of Production and industry sectors to four decimal places
Dataset | Released 13 October 2021
Monthly index values for production and the main Index of Production (IoP) sectors in the UK to four decimal places.
Monthly Business Survey turnover in production industries
Dataset | Released 13 October 2021
Monthly Business Survey (MBS) production industries' total turnover, domestic sales and exports in the UK. Figures are in current price and non-seasonally adjusted.
Export proportions for manufacturing industries
Dataset | Released 13 October 2021
Monthly, quarterly and annual export data for the manufacturing industries, collected by the MBS at industry level in the UK.
All data related to the IoP are available in our previous Index of production bulletins.
3. Measuring the data
The Index of Production (IoP) uses data from a variety of sources and is calculated by taking turnover and removing the impact of price changes, or by using direct volume estimates.
The majority of these data are collected as "turnover values" through the Monthly Business Survey (MBS). In addition, direct volume series are collected by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the International Steel Statistics Bureau (ISSB) for steel industries.
From January 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.
A comprehensive list of the IoP source data can be found in the Gross domestic product (GDP(O)) source catalogue (XLS, 715KB).
More quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in the UK Index of Production QMI.
Blue Book 2021
In Blue Book 2021, a new framework will be introduced to improve how we produce volume estimates of gross domestic product (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 was reflected in the September quarterly national accounts. Our articles Impact of double deflation on industry chain volume measure annual estimates and Impact of Blue Book 2021 changes on quarterly volume estimates of gross domestic product by industry provide information and indicative impacts of this change to industry level gross value added volume.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Office for National Statistics' (ONS') Monthly Business Survey (MBS) 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 IoP come from the BEIS and therefore will be less affected than survey data.
Our latest data and analysis on the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the UK economy and population is now available on a new coronavirus web page. This will be the hub for all special coronavirus-related publications, including the fortnightly Business Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Survey (BICS).
The ONS has released a public statement on COVID-19 and the production of statistics. If you have specific queries, please email the Media Relations Office.
Consultation on the Code of Practice for Statistics – proposed change to 9:30am release practice
On behalf of the UK Statistics Authority, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) is conducting a consultation on the Code of Practice for Statistics, proposing changes to the 9.30am release practice. Please send comments by 21 December 2021 to: regulation@statistics.gov.uk
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