UK real household spending: furnishings and equipment
UK real household spending: furnishings and equipment stood at £20,308m in Q2 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Household spending and saving table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1985 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Household spending and saving table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household spending, chained volume | |||||||||||
| Furnishings and household equipment | 20,308 | 20,145 | 19,633 | 19,419 | 19,289 | 19,415 | 19,384 | 19,670 | 19,127 | 19,113 | |
| Health | 8,921 | 8,953 | 8,917 | 8,851 | 8,617 | 8,483 | 8,468 | 8,507 | 7,774 | 7,694 |
Understanding UK real household spending: furnishings and equipment
Furnishings, household equipment, and routine maintenance outlays track the chained volume of durable and semi-durable goods purchased for the home across the United Kingdom. The series covers furniture, major appliances, glassware, tools, and routine cleaning products, expressed in constant-price GBP million to eliminate the effects of retail price inflation. It isolates physical acquisition trends from the cyclical discounting common in department stores and furniture warehouses.
Seasonal increases typically align with housing market transactions and major holiday periods when households redecorate or upgrade domestic appliances. Early quarterly estimates are subject to revision as detailed retail sales breakdowns and trade association figures replace preliminary models. Analysts examining this indicator should note that durable goods spending reacts sharply to economic cycles, often showing much wider swings than non-discretionary categories like food or utilities.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of goods are included in the furnishings and equipment category?
- Furniture, carpets, major household appliances, small tools, and routine domestic cleaning products are all captured here.
- Why do durable goods show higher volatility than other consumption categories?
- Households can easily postpone purchases of major appliances and furniture during economic downturns, creating large cyclical swings.
- How does chain-linking affect the measurement of furniture sales?
- Constant-price calculation removes retail price inflation so that analysts see real changes in the physical number of items acquired.