The UK recorded a trade surplus of £3.92 billion in January 2026, a sharp reversal from a £4.34 billion deficit in the previous month. This marks the first surplus since September 2024, as exports increased and imports declined. Exports rose 7.2% month-on-month to a record £82.51 billion, while imports fell 3.3% to a one-year low of £78.59 billion. Goods exports climbed 6.7% to £35.53 billion, driven by higher shipments to both EU (6.2%) and non-EU countries (7.1%). Exports to the EU was due to increases in machinery and transport equipment as well as fuel exports. Exports to non-EU markets were led by chemicals, particularly medicinal and pharmaceutical products to China, Turkey, and Brazil. In contrast, exports of goods to the US fell 11.3%, amid lower sales of machinery and transport equipment, specifically cars. Services exports edged up 0.2% to £46.98 billion. On the import side, goods imports decreased 0.6% to £49.98 billion, while services imports rose 0.4% to £28.61 billion. source: Office for National Statistics

The United Kingdom recorded a trade surplus of 3922 GBP Million in January of 2026. Balance of Trade in the United Kingdom averaged -1195.91 GBP Million from 1955 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 9471.00 GBP Million in May of 2020 and a record low of -10899.00 GBP Million in January of 2022. This page provides - United Kingdom Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. United Kingdom Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.

The United Kingdom recorded a trade surplus of 3922 GBP Million in January of 2026. Balance of Trade in the United Kingdom is expected to be -3400.00 GBP Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United Kingdom Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -2500.00 GBP Million in 2027 and -2200.00 GBP Million in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-12 07:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Dec £-4.340B £-5.564B £-6.0B
2026-03-13 07:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Jan £3.922B £-4.340B £-6.2B
2026-04-16 06:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Feb £3.922B £-3.6B

Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Exports 82508.00 76962.00 GBP Million Jan 2026
Goods Exports 35530.00 30089.00 GBP Million Jan 2026
Goods Imports 49979.00 52813.00 GBP Million Jan 2026
Goods Trade Balance -14449.00 -22724.00 GBP Million Jan 2026
Goods Trade Balance Non-EU -3461.00 -10994.00 GBP Million Jan 2026
Imports 78586.00 81302.00 GBP Million Jan 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade 3922.00 -4340.00 GBP Million Jan 2026
Capital Flows 15529.00 14497.00 GBP Million Sep 2025
Current Account -12067.00 -21154.00 GBP Million Sep 2025
Current Account to GDP -2.20 -3.60 percent of GDP Dec 2024
External Debt 8194947.00 7894631.00 GBP Million Sep 2025
Net Foreign Direct Investment 23370.00 -9036.00 GBP Million Sep 2025


United Kingdom Balance of Trade
The UK's trade balance has been in deficit since 1998, due to deficits in trade in goods which are partly offset by surpluses in trade in services. The level of total UK trade in goods as a proportion of total trade in goods and services has been gradually declining since 1986 after peaking at 75 percent in 1985. This is consistent with the rising share of UK trade in services (about 38 percent as of 2021). The UK has trade deficits with China, Norway, Germany, Spain, Poland, Russia, Italy and India; and surpluses with the United States, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
3922.00 -4340.00 9471.00 -10899.00 1955 - 2026 GBP Million Monthly
Current Prices, SA

News Stream
UK Trade Balance Swings to Surplus
The UK recorded a trade surplus of £3.92 billion in January 2026, a sharp reversal from a £4.34 billion deficit in the previous month. This marks the first surplus since September 2024, as exports increased and imports declined. Exports rose 7.2% month-on-month to a record £82.51 billion, while imports fell 3.3% to a one-year low of £78.59 billion. Goods exports climbed 6.7% to £35.53 billion, driven by higher shipments to both EU (6.2%) and non-EU countries (7.1%). Exports to the EU was due to increases in machinery and transport equipment as well as fuel exports. Exports to non-EU markets were led by chemicals, particularly medicinal and pharmaceutical products to China, Turkey, and Brazil. In contrast, exports of goods to the US fell 11.3%, amid lower sales of machinery and transport equipment, specifically cars. Services exports edged up 0.2% to £46.98 billion. On the import side, goods imports decreased 0.6% to £49.98 billion, while services imports rose 0.4% to £28.61 billion.
2026-03-13
UK Trade Gap Smallest in 4 Months
The UK trade deficit narrowed to £4.34 billion in December 2025, down from a downwardly revised £5.56 billion in November. It marked the smallest trade gap since August, as exports fell less than imports. Exports dropped 1.0% month-on-month to a three-month low of £76.96 billion, while imports fell 2.4% to a three-month low of £81.30 billion. Goods exports shrank 3.2% mom to a three-month low of £30.09 billion, driven by lower shipments to EU countries (-1.9%) and non-EU countries (-4.4%), mainly reflecting a decline in exports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products to China, Japan, and South Korea. By contrast, exports of goods to the US, including precious metals, rose 2.5% due to higher exports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products and inorganic chemicals. Meanwhile, services exports grew 0.5% to £46.87 billion. On the import side, goods imports fell 3.4% to a three-month low of £52.81 billion, while services imports fell 0.5% to a three-month low of £28.49 billion.
2026-02-12
UK Trade Deficit Narrows in November
The UK trade deficit narrowed to £6.12 billion in November 2025, down from an upwardly revised £6.53 billion in October, as exports rose while imports were unchanged. Exports grew 0.6% mom to a three-month high of £77.19 billion, while imports were almost flat at £83.31 billion. Goods exports increased 1.9% mom to a three-month high of £31.37 billion, boosted by higher shipments to EU countries (2.8%), mainly driven by increased exports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products to Germany and France. Goods exports to non-EU countries also rose 1.1%, primarily due to higher exports of machinery and transport equipment. Conversely, exports of goods to the US, including precious metals, fell 10.4% due to lower exports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products and inorganic chemicals. Meanwhile, services exports fell 0.3% to a five-month low of £45.82 billion. On the import side, goods imports rose 0.2% to £55.08 billion, while services imports fell 0.3% to a six-month low of £28.23 billion.
2026-01-15