UK consumer spending weakens over week to February 11 – ONS

British consumer spending fell over the past week and the proportion of people on furlough and who are working exclusively from home increased, as the country remained in a coronavirus lockdown, official figures showed on Thursday.

Debit and credit card spending – as measured by Bank of England CHAPS payment data – was 28% below its level in February 2020 during the week to Feb. 11, representing a greater shortfall than the 24% shortfall reported the week before.

Businesses said 20% of their staff were on furlough between Jan. 25 and Feb. 7, up from 18% two weeks earlier but below the peak of 30% recorded in June during the first lockdown, the Office for National Statistics said.