UK total trade imports
UK total trade imports stood at £257,191m 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, 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 | |
| Trade in goods balance | -64,044 | -64,963 | -62,796 | -58,520 | -60,557 | -52,393 | -55,208 | -44,841 | -58,115 | -43,884 |
Understanding UK total trade imports
Gross receipts of foreign-produced physical goods and overseas-supplied services acquired by United Kingdom residents are captured in this series. Valued in millions of pounds (£m), it brings together all cross-border debit transactions for imports, ranging from raw energy and consumer products to overseas travel spending, international transport, and outsourced business operations. It sits opposite the gross export row, serving as the total expenditure component required to calculate the net commercial position.
Transactions are valued on a free-on-board (FOB) basis for goods, stripping out foreign freight and insurance costs to align with international balance of payments standards. Data are seasonally adjusted to account for predictable quarterly purchasing patterns, such as autumn consumer inventory stocking. While quarter-on-quarter changes highlight rapid shifts in domestic consumer and corporate expenditure, year-on-year analyses give a clearer view of underlying import reliance by minimising transitory supply disruptions. Analysts should take care not to confuse these balance of payments figures with standard customs trade statistics, which include insurance and freight costs in their goods valuation.
Frequently asked questions
- What distinguishes this import measure from standard customs border statistics?
- Balance of payments imports evaluate physical goods on a free-on-board basis, excluding foreign freight and insurance charges, which are instead allocated to service imports.
- Does this series include expenditures by domestic residents travelling overseas?
- Yes, personal and business spending by domestic residents during foreign visits is fully included under the travel services component of imports.
- Why might import values spike without an increase in actual cargo volumes?
- Because the figures are published in current monetary values, sterling depreciation or global commodity price inflation can raise import totals even if physical volumes remain static.