UK current account balance
UK current account balance stood at -£19,932m in Q2 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Balance of payments table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1955 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Balance of payments table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current account balance | -19,932 | -21,120 | -27,068 | -18,784 | -25,509 | -20,269 | -29,972 | -14,545 | -23,413 | -20,960 | |
| Current account balance as a share of GDP | -2.5 | -2.7 | -3.5 | -2.5 | -3.4 | -2.7 | -4.1 | -2 | -3.3 | -3 | |
| Total trade, exports | 244,417 | 234,713 | 231,155 | 228,023 | 225,007 | 229,022 | 219,221 | 222,096 | 224,558 | 217,273 |
Understanding UK current account balance
Net cross-border economic activity across trade in goods, services, primary income, and secondary income defines this headline measure for the United Kingdom. It records the overall financial balance generated by outward sales and inward purchases of merchandise and services, alongside cross-border investment earnings, compensation of employees, and unilateral government or private transfers. By encompassing income receipts and current transfers alongside commercial shipments, it extends beyond the narrower trade balance shown elsewhere in this table to evaluate the nation's net lending to or borrowing from the rest of the world.
Quarterly returns are published in millions of pounds (£m) and reflect calendar-adjusted, seasonally adjusted flows. Primary income estimates, particularly profits earned on direct investments abroad and payments to foreign asset holders, remain subject to substantial retrospective revisions as multinational corporate accounts are finalised. Users assessing broad structural imbalances should monitor whether quarterly movements stem from shifts in the underlying balance of trade or from erratic changes in dividend payments and investment returns.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the current account balance differ from the total trade balance?
- The trade balance captures only cross-border exchanges of physical goods and commercial services, whereas the current account also includes cross-border investment income, wages, and unilateral transfers.
- Why are past quarterly figures in this series frequently updated?
- Estimates rely on provisional business surveys and administrative samples, with substantial retrospective adjustments occurring as annual corporate tax filings and audited overseas investment returns become available.
- What determines whether this headline balance is positive or negative?
- A positive value indicates that aggregate earnings from exports, overseas investments, and inbound transfers exceed all outgoing payments abroad, resulting in net international lending.