News in Review Wednesday 19th August 2026

UK economy growth, latest employment and earnings figures, pensioner poverty and water bills set to rise

Key takeaways:

  • The UK economy grew by 0.4% between April and June, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
  • UK unemployment was estimated at 4.9% between April and June 2026 – 0.1% lower than the previous quarter
  • A major new report shows that poverty among pensioners increased from 15.7% in 2012/13 to 18.6% in 2023/24