Britain’s economy returned to growth in April, official data show, after a contraction the month before.

Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.2pc, according to the Office for National Statistics, having shrunk by 0.3pc in March.

The economy grew by 0.1pc in the three months to April, leaving it 0.3pc bigger than pre-pandemic levels. 

The positive start to the second quarter was driven by the dominant services sector, which grew  0.3pc following a 0.5pc contraction the previous month after being hit by the wettest March in England and Wales for over 40 years and workers walking off the job in schools, hospitals and railways.  

It comes after the OECD said it expects the UK to avoid recession this year, though the economy is expected to grow by just 0.3pc, up from its previous prediction of a 0.4pc contraction.

However, the OECD added that Britain’s inflation would be among the highest in the 38 member club of industrialised economies in 2023 as food prices and underlying inflation remain stubbornly high.

The Bank of England is expected to raise interest rates to 5.75pc by the end of the year in an attempt to tame runaway inflation.

It has already upped interest rates at the MPC’s last 12 meetings, bringing the base rate from 0.1pc to 4.5pc.

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