[ad_1]
Although restrictions on companies and individuals were only introduced in mid-March, the ONS said it was enough to cause a 5.8% drop in activity in March.
The three main components of growth, services, production and construction were affected by the consequences of the global pandemic, with factories, shops, restaurants, hotels and works closed by order of the government.
Ruth Gregory, UK economist at consultancy Capital Economics, said: “The GDP figures for March showed that the UK economy was already in free fall within two weeks of the blockade taking effect. And with the restrictions in place until mid-May and then only got up very slightly, April will be much worse. “
Production in the services sector, which represents four fifths of GDP, decreased by more than 6% in March, while production fell by 4.2% and construction by 5.9%.
During the year through the first quarter of this year, the economy slowed by 1.6%, its fastest decline rate since late 2009.
