The UK economy grew by just 0.1% in the three months to September, undershooting economists’ expectations, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Gross domestic product rose by 0.1% between July and September, following a 0.3% expansion in the previous quarter.
Economists had forecast 0.2% growth, but the latest figures show momentum fading as the year progressed.
The ONS said output fell by 0.1% in September, largely due to disruption in the manufacturing sector caused by a cyber attack at Jaguar Land Rover.
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“Growth slowed further in the third quarter of the year with both services and construction weaker than in the previous period,” said Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics.
“Across the quarter as a whole, manufacturing drove the weakness in production, with a particularly marked fall in car production in September.”
The report also cited a downturn in the “often erratic” pharmaceutical industry as another drag on output.
The figures come ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first budget on November 26, as the government faces mounting pressure to reignite growth and reassure businesses heading into 2026.
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