UK services imports: financial services
UK services imports: financial services stood at £6,422m 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 1997 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imports of services by category | |||||||||||
| Financial services | 6,422 | 6,412 | 6,130 | 6,017 | 5,855 | 5,553 | 5,329 | 5,068 | 4,929 | 4,713 | |
| Other business services | 30,035 | 30,396 | 29,915 | 28,660 | 28,978 | 29,865 | 26,747 | 27,156 | 28,846 | 28,635 |
Understanding UK services imports: financial services
Expenditure by domestic corporations, financial entities, and private households on banking, securities dealing, and portfolio management provided by non-resident financial institutions is tracked here. Key transactions comprise foreign banking spread margins, international loan arrangement fees, cross-border merger advisory charges, securities custody fees, and asset management commissions. This series measures only the purchase of the service itself, keeping it strictly distinct from investment income and capital flows on the financial account.
Financial service imports exhibit heightened sensitivity to global capital market activity, meaning that quarter-on-quarter changes often mirror swings in international debt issuance and equity dealmaking. Seasonally adjusted quarterly figures are provided, but period-on-period growth rates can mislead during phases of elevated market volatility. Comparing figures over a rolling four-quarter basis provides a truer indicator of domestic reliance on foreign wholesale finance. Revisions are common as bank regulatory reporting and cross-border custodial surveys are reconciled annually.
Frequently asked questions
- Are interest charges and dividend payments included in this row?
- Interest, dividends, and investment yields belong to primary income on the current account, whereas this series isolates purely the management fees and service charges.
- What types of services are covered by this category?
- The series covers foreign currency broking, international equity underwriting, fund management fees, and cross-border commercial lending administration.
- How is financial intermediation indirectly measured (FISIM) handled here?
- Implicit service margins embedded within interest rate spreads on loans and deposits with foreign banks are calculated and incorporated as imported services.