Britain’s economy grew at a slower pace than first thought between July and September amid a poorer performance from health, hairdressers and lower trade volumes after Brexit, according to official figures.
Revealing the growth rate was worse that initially calculated even before the Omicron coronavirus variant hit, the Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 1.1% in the three months to September, down from an initial estimate of 1.3%.
In a slowdown from a growth rate of 5.4% in the second quarter, the latest figures showed household consumption helped to maintain momentum in the final months of the summer as the economy reopened from Covid restrictions. Household consumption rose by 2.7%, more than originally estimated, making the largest contribution to expenditure.
However, statisticians said the weaker headline GDP figure was driven by new data for visits to GP surgeries and outpatient follow-up…
