UK trade balance in goods
UK trade balance in goods stood at -£36,624.55m in Aug 2026, according to HM Revenue & Customs (uktradeinfo). It is one of the indicators in the Trade in goods table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2000 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Trade in goods table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade in goods by partner country (HMRC) | |||||||||||
| Trade balance in goods | -36,624.55 | -30,034.79 | -27,070.49 | -24,635.15 | -27,365.5 | -39,464.67 | -30,285.31 | -31,926.7 | -41,628.12 | -30,780.73 | |
| Exports of goods | 31,701.57 | 37,681.3 | 37,683.94 | 39,349.22 | 36,482.21 | 36,059.59 | 33,425.3 | 32,091.57 | 29,452.6 | 33,207.17 |
Understanding UK trade balance in goods
The net difference between total outbound merchandise sales and total inbound physical shipments for the United Kingdom is quantified here in million pounds sterling. This aggregate subtracts total imports from total exports, resulting in either a surplus or a deficit that reflects the nation's overall physical trade balance. Unlike individual country rows that isolate bilateral relationships, this aggregate balances all global trade flows into a single net metric for external commerce.
Because small percentage shifts in large gross flows can produce substantial swings in the net balance, month-to-month volatility is common and requires careful interpretation. Revisions to both underlying export and import components routinely flow through to this calculated series in subsequent publishing cycles. Analysts generally focus on broader moving averages or year-on-year comparisons to identify genuine structural shifts rather than reacting to single-month fluctuations.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the trade balance in goods calculated?
- It is derived by subtracting total monthly merchandise imports from total monthly merchandise exports.
- Does this series include trade in services?
- No, services are entirely excluded; this figure covers merchandise trade only.
- Why can the trade balance fluctuate significantly month-to-month?
- Small variations in large gross export and import totals translate into large swings in the net figure.