The latest real-time snapshot of the UK economy, released today by several government agencies and private companies, paints a picture of rising fuel demand, increasing redundancies, and volatile energy prices. Notably, preliminary data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero indicates that estimated automotive fuel consumption per average transaction reached 11.8 litres in the week ending 16 July 2026 – a 4.2% rise on the previous week's figure.
Meanwhile, the Insolvency Service's weekly figures reveal that 1,542 employers proposed redundancies last week, with a potential total of 24,319 jobs affected across Great Britain. This represents a 12.5% increase in proposed redundancies compared to the same period in 2025. These numbers serve as an early warning system for shifts in the job market and underscore the need for policymakers to address underlying economic trends.
The energy sector continues to experience significant price volatility, with the daily System Average Price (SAP) of gas traded in Great Britain's On-the-Day Commodity Market (OCM) averaging £1.83 per therm on 16 July 2026. Elexon reports a similar trend in the wholesale electricity market, with a System Price of 72.42 pence per kilowatt-hour over the same period.
Payment flows across the UK provide further insights into economic activity. According to Pay.UK and Vocalink's monthly datasets, transactions between UK organisations totalled £1.24 trillion in June 2026 – a 3.5% increase on the previous month. Breakdowns by region and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) level offer a granular view of inter-business financial activity, highlighting connections and dependencies between different industries and geographical areas across the UK.
Additional indicators contributing to this comprehensive real-time picture include weekly shipping movements to and from selected UK ports, daily UK flight numbers monitored by EUROCONTROL, and weekly data on Energy Performance Building Certificates (EPCs) for new and existing domestic properties in England and Wales provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. These diverse datasets collectively aim to provide policymakers and the public with a more agile understanding of the UK's evolving economic and social landscape.