The UK's economic momentum continued to wane in the third quarter of 2025, with official statistics confirming a sharp slowdown in growth, partly driven by a major cyber attack on a leading car manufacturer.
ONS Confirms Slowing Growth Trajectory
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published its updated figures, confirming that the UK's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by just 0.1% between July and September. This figure was unrevised from the initial estimate and marks a deceleration from the previous three-month period.
Furthermore, the ONS revised its assessment of growth in the second quarter downwards. The economy is now estimated to have grown by 0.2% in the three months to June, a slight reduction from the previous estimate of 0.3%.
Manufacturing Hit by Cyber Incident
The statistics body pointed to a specific event that knocked activity during the summer months. A significant cyber attack targeting Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was cited as a key factor behind falls in the production sector, which offset growth in services.
Liz McKeown, ONS Director of Economic Statistics, stated: “Today’s updated figures paint the same picture as our initial estimate, with growth continuing to slow in the third quarter. Growth in services were partially offset by falls in production, with a marked drop in car manufacturing.”
Annual Picture and International Context
In a minor positive revision, growth for the final quarter of 2024 was adjusted up to 0.3% from 0.2%. However, the overall growth rate for the entirety of 2024 was left unchanged at 1.1%.
Despite the recent slowdown and second-quarter revision, the broader international comparison provided some context. The data shows that for the period in question, the UK economy remained the joint fastest growing in the G7, alongside Japan, with growth of 0.9%. The United States followed behind.
These latest figures underscore the fragility of the UK's economic recovery and highlight how specific shocks, such as cyber attacks on major industrial players, can have a measurable impact on national output.
