UK total trade exports
UK total trade exports stood at £244,417m 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total trade, exports | 244,417 | 234,713 | 231,155 | 228,023 | 225,007 | 229,022 | 219,221 | 222,096 | 224,558 | 217,273 | |
| Total trade, imports | 257,191 | 250,867 | 243,476 | 236,589 | 235,921 | 236,668 | 229,228 | 221,796 | 235,844 | 221,794 | |
| Total trade balance | -12,774 | -16,154 | -12,321 | -8,566 | -10,914 | -7,646 | -10,007 | 300 | -11,286 | -4,521 |
Understanding UK total trade exports
Total export deliveries of physical merchandise and commercial services from the United Kingdom to overseas buyers form the aggregate measured here. Stated in millions of pounds (£m), this series combines border customs shipments of raw materials and finished goods with overseas billings for finance, consultancy, transport, and intellectual property. It differs from product-level rows by combining both tangible and intangible outward commerce into a single gross credit metric, providing the gross foreign sales figure before deducting inward purchases.
Figures are compiled under balance of payments accounting rules, which record transactions upon the change of economic ownership rather than physical frontier crossings alone. Seasonal adjustment smooths predictable quarterly variations, such as heightened overseas tourism during summer months or elevated freight schedules ahead of winter holidays. Quarter-on-quarter movements provide early indications of foreign demand, but year-on-year comparisons are more dependable for identifying structural trends amid currency fluctuations and global price shocks. Users should remember that gross export totals do not subtract imported intermediate components embedded within exported manufactured goods.
Frequently asked questions
- Which major categories are aggregated into total exports?
- The series brings together all physical goods dispatched abroad and all service activities provided by domestic residents to overseas clients.
- How does this series treat goods sent abroad for processing without a change of ownership?
- Under modern balance of payments conventions, goods moving across borders without a change in economic ownership are excluded from trade in goods, with only the processing fee recorded under services.
- Are these export values adjusted for inflation?
- These quarterly figures are reported in current prices, meaning price movements and currency valuation changes will influence values alongside physical volume shifts.