{
  "id": 8611953,
  "title": "UK productivity higher than we had thought",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/uk-productivity-higher-than-we-had-thought",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-20T04:53:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Marginal Revolution",
    "slug": "marginal-revolution",
    "url": "https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2026/09/uk-productivity-higher-than-we-had-thought.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UK productivity has been found to outpace previous estimates by a significant margin, according to newly released official data. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that output per hour worked, a key indicator of labor productivity, grew by an average of 1.3 percent annually between 2009 and 2019. This is nearly double the previously estimated growth rate of 0.7 percent over the same period. The ONS updated its methodology, adopting a \"component-based\" approach that incorporates a broader range of data sources. This new methodology has also been incorporated by several other national statistics agencies.",
  "summary": "UK productivity rose at almost twice the pace previously estimated in the decade after the 2008 global financial crisis, according to new official figures that make Britain look much less of an international outlier. Output per hour worked, the main measure of labour productivity, grew by an average of 1.3 per cent per year between […] The post UK productivity higher than we had thought appeared…",
  "key_points": [
    "UK productivity higher than previous estimates",
    "Output per hour worked grew 1.3% annually 2009-2019",
    "New methodology doubled previous growth rate estimate"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The upward revision of UK productivity growth suggests that the economy's efficiency gains have been stronger over the past decade than previously thought, potentially altering perceptions of Britain's long-term economic performance.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}