Overview
- S&P economist Maryam Baluch warned that low willingness to spend points to a sustained drag on first‑quarter growth.
- Household borrowing is rising at the fastest pace since July 2025, with 18–24 year‑olds experiencing the steepest increase.
- Demand for unsecured credit has grown as lenders cut back, marking the sharpest fall in loan availability since August 2024.
- Official figures show unemployment among 18–24 year‑olds is at its highest since 2020, intensifying financial strain on younger households.
- UK growth weakened at the end of 2025, with fourth‑quarter GDP up 0.1% and GDP per head contracting for a second consecutive quarter.