Household spending drops

UK households spent an average of £455.00 a week in 2009, compared with £471.00 in 2008, the first drop in spending since 2001-02, says the Office for National Statistics. 

UK households spent an average of £455.00 a week in 2009, compared with £471.00 in 2008, the first drop in spending since 2001-02, says the Office for National Statistics. 

The ONS says household spending was highest in the transport category, at £58.40 a week. This included £19.50 on purchase of vehicles, £29.30 on the operation of personal transport (such as petrol, diesel, repairs and servicing) and £9.60 on transport services such as rail, tube and bus fares.

The second highest category of spending was recreation and culture, at £57.90 a week. This includes TVs, computers, newspapers, books, leisure activities and package holidays. On average, £12.30 a week was spent on package holidays abroad, compared with £0.90 a week on package holidays in the UK. Housing (excluding mortgage costs), fuel and power was the third highest category at £57.30 a week. The gap between these two categories narrowed between 2008 and 2009, with recreation and culture previously at £60.10 and housing, fuel and power previously at £53.00.

Food and non-alcoholic drink purchases contributed £52.20 to weekly household expenditure – £13.70 of which was spent on meat and fish, £3.80 on fresh vegetables, and £2.90 on fresh fruit. Non-alcoholic drinks accounted for £4.10 of weekly expenditure, and £2.20 per week was spent on chocolate and confectionery.

Households headed by a person aged 30 to 49 spent the most on average at £558.80 a week. Those headed by a person aged 75 or over had the lowest average household expenditure, at £236.40 a week.

• Vote  
• 0
• 0
• You already voted!

• Tags:
• Politics