The Money Stats – August 2019 – Changing the Picture to a ‘Per Person’ Economy

The UK economy contracted by 0.2% in the quarter to June 2019, the first time since 2012 that GDP has fallen, but a clearer gauge on the impact of this can be seen by viewing it on a ‘per person’ basis, according to the August 2019 Money Statistics, produced by The Money Charity.

Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, is the most commonly used of a number of measures of the size of an economy as a whole. While it has a number of well-known issues (such as measuring both ‘bad’ industries and ‘good’ ones, not measuring a number of essential societal roles such as care work, and not counting the environmental impact of the economy), it does follow internationally agreed conventions on measuring economic output, ensuring comparability across different countries and time periods. Some commentators argue though that ‘growing GDP’ should not be the main goal of economic policy and there are more important things to pursue such as wellbeing, sustainability and a fairer sharing of income and assets.

However, measuring GDP does tell us something about the state of the economy. If employment and productivity are growing, we should see GDP going up. If GDP goes down, then either there are fewer jobs or we are working less productively. GDP does not though take into account population changes; at equal levels of productivity, a country with a big population has a larger GDP than one with a smaller population. If our population and labour force grow, then GDP goes up. But the size of total GDP doesn’t matter to the individual person. What matters to them is how big their income is, and how many things they can afford to buy.

From this point of view, a better measure of our economy would be GDP per person. This would also be a better way of comparing the GDPs of different countries. Over the last twenty years, the UK has had a growing population, which has helped lift the level of GDP. But what has happened to GDP per person?

According to ONS data, GDP per person has risen considerably decade-on-decade since the 1950s with dips due to recessions in the early 70s, 80s and 90s, followed by the credit crunch in 2008-09. Overall, the GDP per person grew by between a fifth and a third per decade, raising the UK’s living standards well above historical levels. However, in the latest decade, since the credit crunch, overall growth dropped to 5.6%. This is the background against which the Q2 fall in GDP should be viewed. In Q2 2019, GDP per person fell by 0.35%, compared to the overall 0.2% fall, with the difference between the two numbers reflecting the population increase.

Erik Porter, Acting Chief Executive of The Money Charity says:

“While we aspire towards financial wellbeing for the whole of the UK, we know well that that means helping every individual to understand how they can develop a positive relationship with their money, getting to grips with it so they can achieve their goals.

“That’s why throughout our work, and especially in The Money Statistics where we seek to give a clear monthly picture of the UK’s finances, we look to express things both with a big-picture perspective as well as an insight into the impact on every individual.”

 

Other striking numbers from the August Money Statistics:

  • On average, a UK household spends £4.05 a day on water, electricity and gas. (P15.)
  • The number of UK mortgages with arrears of over 2.5% of the remaining balance fell by 6 a day. (P13.)
  • 1,143 people a day reported they had become redundant in April to June 2019. (P20.)

Get the full picture and many more fascinating facts about money in the UK in our monthly Money Statistics.

 

Notes to Editors

  • The Money Charity is the UK’s financial capability charity. We believe that being on top of your money means you are more in control of your life, your finances and your debts, reducing stress and hardship, and that being on top of your money increases your wellbeing, helps you achieve your goals and live a happier more positive life as a result. Our vision is for everyone to be on top of their money as a part of everyday life. We empower people across the UK to build the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, to make the most of their money throughout their lives. Find out more at https://themoneycharity.org.uk/
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