Economic Estimates: Digital Sector Annual (2010 to 2024) and Regional (2010 to 2022) Gross Value Added
Accredited Official Statistics estimating the contribution of the Digital Sector to the UK economy and each UK International Territorial Level 1 (ITL1) region, measured by Gross Value Added (GVA).
Documents
Details
This release is a continuation and combination of both our Annual GVA and Regional GVA series from the Digital Economic Estimates Gross Value Added collection.
For this release, provisional estimates of Digital Sector Regional GVA for 2023 have not been produced. These have not been included as we have judged that the risk of revisions substantially changing the narrative outweighs the value in publishing provisional estimates - please see the relevant technical report for more detail.
We instead plan to provide revised regional figures for 2023 once they become available - our release calendar will be updated in due course with the provisional date for that release (likely Summer 2026).
Headline findings
- Provisionally, Digital Sector GVA increased by an estimated 3.3% between 2023 and 2024, after accounting for inflation. For comparison, total UK GVA across all sectors is estimated to have increased by 1.1% over the same period.
- The Digital Sector is provisionally estimated to have accounted for 6.8% of total UK GVA in 2024 at £177.2 billion in current prices, similar to the estimated 6.7% of total UK GVA in 2023.
- Digital Sector GVA has been substantially revised. Digital Sector GVA in 2023 is now estimated at £168.5 billion in current prices, higher than the previous estimate of £153.5 billion. Digital Sector GVA is now estimated to have increased by 6.0% from 2022 to 2023, when accounting for inflation, where Digital Sector GVA was previously reported to have decreased by 1.6% over this period.
- Provisionally, from 2023 to 2024, the largest increase in GVA among Digital subsectors was a 9.0% increase in ‘Computer programming, consultancy and related activities’ and the largest decrease in GVA amongst Digital subsectors was a 3.6% decrease in ‘Repair of computers and communication equipment’.
- Estimates suggest that the North East of England experienced the largest proportional growth in Digital Sector GVA amongst ITL1 regions of the UK between 2010 and 2022 when accounting for inflation at 387.4% or £2.5 billion in 2022 prices. The East Midlands increased by 99.0% or also £2.5 billion in 2022 prices and accounting for inflation, the smallest proportional increase amongst ITL1 regions of the UK during this period.
About this release
These Economic Estimates are Accredited Official Statistics used to provide an estimate of the contribution of the Digital Sector to the UK overall and to each region in the UK, measured by GVA (gross value added). This is the first release of provisional Annual GVA estimates for 2024. Provisional Regional GVA estimates for 2023 are not being published in this release as we have judged that the risk of revisions substantially changing the narrative outweighs the value in publishing provisional estimates.
Data sources and technical information
These findings are calculated based on the following data sources:
- ONS Gross Domestic Product (GDP) low-level aggregates.
- ONS Regional Gross Value Added balanced tables.
- ONS Annual Business Survey (ABS).
GDP low-level aggregates are consistent with Blue Book 2025 UK National Accounts and Regional GVA balanced tables are consistent with Blue Book 2024 UK National Accounts. Note that regional data is derived from the previous year’s accounts.
The National and Regional balanced GVA tables produced by the National and Regional Accounts team at ONS report GVA at the 2-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code level. The ABS reports approximate GVA (aGVA) at the 4-digit SIC code level, for the UK as a whole and for each ITL1 region.
In this release, we use aGVA from the ABS to apportion GVA from either the Supply and Use Tables and GDP low-level aggregates or the Regional Accounts in order to produce GVA estimates for the Digital Sector and its associated subsectors, which are defined at the 4-digit SIC code level. Annual data for 2024 are derived from unbalanced output GVA are considered provisional until our next release.
The technical report contains further information about data sources, methodology, and the validation and accuracy of these estimates. The latest version of this guidance was published alongside this release in February 2026.
Content
These statistics cover the contributions of the Digital Sector and its subsectors in terms of GVA, to the UK economy. Both Annual and Regional GVA estimates are provided in current prices and chained volume measures.
Annual GVA
Annual GVA provides estimates of the digital economy across the UK from 2010 to 2024. Estimates for 2010-2023 are revised, and those for 2024 are provisional. 2024 estimates are provisional due to the use of unbalanced GVA and previous year ABS data. See the technical report for further information.
Annual GVA provides more up-to-date estimates than Regional GVA, but provides no sub-UK estimates.
Annual GVA chain volume measures are in 2023 prices.
Regional GVA
Regional GVA provides estimates of the digital economy across the UK from 2010 to 2023. Estimates for 2010-2022 have been revised. Provisional estimates for 2023 are not being published as we have judged that the risk of revisions substantially changing the narrative outweighs the value in publishing provisional estimates. See the technical report for further information.
Regional GVA provides data at the ITL1 level, although the sum of GVA (termed ‘overall UK’) for ITL1 regions is not equivalent to UK estimates for Annual GVA.
Regional GVA chain volume measures are in 2022 prices.
Released
12 February 2026
Feedback
We aim to continuously improve the quality of estimates and better meet user needs. We welcome feedback on this release. Feedback should be sent via email to economicestimates@dsit.gov.uk.
DSIT have concluded a consultation on the planned future of the Digital Sector Economic Estimates series - the DSIT response to this consultation can be accessed using this link.
Office for Statistics Regulation
These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in June 2019. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.
These statistics have not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics since their transfer from DCMS. The OSR is planning to assess the statistics for compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics in the near future.
You are welcome to contact us directly at economicestimates@dsit.gov.uk with any comments about how we meet these standards.
Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
Pre-release access
The accompanying pre-release access document lists ministers and officials who have received privileged early access to this release. In line with best practice, the list has been kept to a minimum and those given access for briefing purposes had a maximum of 24 hours.
Contact
Responsible statistician: Rory Attwell
For any queries or feedback, please contact economicestimates@dsit.gov.uk.