UK exits recession with fastest growth in two years

Stronger than expected growth at the start of the year saw the UK emerge from recession.

The economy grew by 0.6 percent between January and March, the fastest rate for two years, official figures showed.

The UK fell into recession at the end of last year after shrinking for two three-month periods in a row. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the economy had “turned a corner” but Labour said this was no time for a “victory lap”.

On Thursday, the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, told the BBC that the UK was seeing a recovery, although it was not a strong one.

Interest rates are currently at their highest for 16 years, meaning people are paying more to borrow money for things such as mortgages and loans but savers have also received better returns.

Mortgage rates have been creeping up in recent weeks, after forecasts for when the Bank of England would cut borrowing costs were pushed back.

On Thursday, the Bank said that inflation, which measures the rate prices rise at, would fall close to its target level in the next couple of months. That had boosted expectations of a rate cut in June. However, the stronger than expected growth figures have dampened those expectations.

Ruth Gregory, Deputy Chief UK Economist at Capital Economics, said it showed “the Bank of England doesn’t need to rush to cut interest rates”.

She said the first rate cut would ultimately be determined by upcoming employment and inflation figures.

Growth in the early part of the year was led by services which includes sectors such as hospitality, arts and entertainment - and was likely to have been helped by an early Easter in March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Last year, Easter was in April.