UK spending rises as consumers respond to return of travel, eating out

Spending on British credit and debit cards in the week to May 6 was 106% of its February 2020 level, up from 99% a week earlier as consumers spent more on travel, eating out and other activities that are being freed up from coronavirus rules.

Other figures published on Thursday showed a net 7% of 34,940 firms surveyed by the Office for National Statistics reported an increase in turnover in March compared with March 2020.

The proportion of the workforce on the government’s job-protecting furlough scheme was 11% in the period between April 19 and May 2, down from a previous reading of 13%, the ONS said.

The proportion of UK online job adverts for catering and hospitality jumped to 103% of its February 2020 level, up by 46 percentage points from early April which was just before the partial reopening of the hospitality sector.