Toggle high contrast
Issue date
Falling household savings are underpinning the UK's economic recovery and preventing it from sliding back into recession, according to new analysis published by the TUC today (Wednesday).

date: 5 August 2013

embargo: 00:01 hours Wednesday 7 August 2013

Falling household savings are underpinning the UK's economic recovery and preventing it from sliding back into recession, according to new analysis published by the TUC today (Wednesday).

The study reveals how recent fragile signs of recovery have coincided with a 43 per cent fall in family saving, which is now at its lowest level in four years.

The TUC analysis shows that between March 2012 and March 2013 the proportion of income that families put away dropped from £20.1bn to £11.4bn.

Over this same period, consumer spending increased by 4.2 per cent from £253.3bn to £264.0bn. This in turn helped the economy grow by 0.3 per cent.

However, had saving rates remained the same during these five quarters, household spending would have been £9bn lower and GDP £5.9bn lower.

This in turn would have seen the economy contract by 1.3 per cent and slip back into recession, the analysis reveals.

The TUC says the findings highlight how fragile the UK's recovery is and warned that relying upon families to raid their savings was not a sustainable option for ministers.

Instead of boasting about how the economy is on the mend, the Chancellor should be doing more to boost household incomes to secure long-term growth, says the TUC.

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'This analysis shows that Britain's fragile recovery is being propped up by families raiding their piggy-banks.

'While any signs of growth are welcome, it looks like recent news has been driven by running down savings and government propping up the housing market. This is hardly a sustainable route to recovery, and looks too much like a repeat of trends that drove the crash.

'A sustainable recovery needs to be based on growth, investment and a recovery in living standards. That's why Britain needs a pay rise.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Impact of fall in household savings ratio

Quarter

Household spending (£bn)

Household savings (£bn)

Household savings ratio

2012 Q1

253,375

20,130

7.4%

2012 Q2

256,433

17,970

6.5%

2012 Q3

257,855

19,632

7.1%

2012 Q4

261,093

16,382

5.9%

2013 Q1

264,010

11,452

4.2%

Change (£bn)

+10,635

-8,678

 

Change (%)

+4.2

-43.1

-3.2%

Source: Office for National Statistics

Impact if household savings ratio remained constant

Quarter

Household spending (£bn)

Household savings (£bn)

Household savings ratio

2012 Q1

253,375

20,130

7.4%

2012 Q2

254,097

20,306

7.4%

2012 Q3

256,953

20,534

7.4%

2012 Q4

256,942

20,533

7.4%

2013 Q1

255,078

20,384

7.4%

Change (£bn)

+1,703

+0.254

 

Change (%)

0.7

0.7

0.0

Source: Office for National Statistics

Impact of savings ratio on GDP

Quarter

Actual Quartertly GDP (£bn)

Constant Savings Ratio (£bn)

2012 Q1

376, 436

376, 436

2012 Q2

374, 550

372, 985

2012 Q3

377, 330

376, 723

2012 Q4

376,461

373, 696

2013 Q1

377, 467

371, 563

Change (£bn)

+1,031

4,873

Change (%)

+0.3

-1.3

Source: TUC Calculations

-The analysis was conducted by holding the savings ratio constant 7.4 per cent and reducing consumption spending. To estimate the impact of this on GDP it has been assumed that 30 per cent of all consumption spending is on imports

- The TUC's Campaign Plan can be downloaded from www.tuc.org.uk/campaignplan

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Congress 2013 will be held at the Bournemouth International Centre from Sunday 8 September to Wednesday 11 September. Free media passes can be obtained by visiting www.tuc.org.uk/media_credentials and completing an online form. Applications must be in by noon on Wednesday 28 August. Any received later than that will be processed in Bournemouth and will cost £75.

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Alex Rossiter T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07887 572130 E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).

Setup now