East of England households spend more per week than in almost any other region, ONS finds
A man collecting train tickets from a machine, as the ONS reveals transport is still the biggest expenditure in many households' weekly budgets. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire - Credit: PA
Average UK household spending has returned to levels not seen since before the economic downturn, with the East of England among the top-spending regions, new figures show.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed average weekly spending by UK households rose to £554.20 in the year ending March 31 2017, up from £533 the previous year.
The top spending category was transport, with households spending an average of £79.70 a week, a real-terms increase of £5.40 – or 14% – compared with the previous year.
Food spending saw a slight spike in 2016/17, prompted by an increase in food prices caused by rising inflation.
Meanwhile spending on recreation and culture continued its upward trajectory of the past 15 years – this increase was largely driven in 2016/17 by greater spending on package holidays, with households spending 23% more per week on package holidays abroad (£25.50) than in the previous year.
You may also want to watch:
The gap in spending between English regions remains wide, differing by more than £200.
Households in the East were the third highest spenders after London and the South East – between 2015 and 2017 average spending in the region was £558.10 a week compared with a UK average of £536.80.
Most Read
- 1 Body found in search for missing 87-year-old Margaret Smith
- 2 'I can't carry it' - Shock as plant starts growing eight inches a day
- 3 WATCH: 'Selfish' drug-driver ploughs into police detective's vehicle
- 4 Norfolk man who had sexual relationship with teen jailed
- 5 Two Norfolk businesses star in TV show
- 6 Fly-tipper travelled from Welsh border to dump in Norfolk
- 7 The Range confirms new store at former Outfit on retail park
- 8 Funeral held for much loved windsurfer after body found in Sweden
- 9 Family's distress as Covid rules force double-jabbed mother into isolation
- 10 Man charged with attempted murder after serious Norwich assault
UK household spending reached a low of £511 a week in the 2011/12 financial year, but is now approaching its pre-downturn peak of £558.60, achieved in 2004/05.
