Index of Services, UK: August 2021

• Monthly services output grew by 0.3% between July 2021 and August 2021 but was still 0.6% below its February 2020 level, the last month of "normal" trading conditions prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

• There were rises in 11 out of the 14 sectors in the Index of Services; the largest percentage growth was 10.3% in accommodation and food service activities, the most notable fall was 4.0% in human health and social work activities.

• Services output for the three months to August 2021 rose by 3.7% compared with the three months to May 2021; this was led by accommodation and food service activities, which rose by 59.9%. 

• The coronavirus  pandemic and other events have changed output in the services industries, although each sector has been affected differently; for further and detailed analysis of how the Index of Services has changed since February 2020 please see our article Coronavirus and the impact on output in the UK economy, UK: August 2021, published today (13 October 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: August 2021, published on 17 September 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 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. Articles published on 28 June 2021 and 8 September 2021 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 logon from any location and submit their data at an appropriate time. Most other data in the IoS come from within the ONS and therefore will be less impacted than survey data.

Our latest data and analysis on the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the UK economy and population is now available on a dedicated web page. This will be the hub for all special coronavirus-related publications, including the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS).

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