British economy 'not yet in dire straits' as prospects for growth dim

Manufacturing services and construction in Britain all contracted together for the first time since January 2021

More recent data show UK households cutting back on non-essential items in response to the cost-of-living squeeze.

The British economy shrank in April at the sharpest pace in more than a year as the British government wound down Covid-19 testing, highlighting risks that a broader contraction is underway.

Gross domestic product fell 0.3% from March, the Office for National Statistics said, when economists had predicted a slight gain.