Household spending has finally risen above pre-credit crunch levels - with the average family laying out £554.20 last year. England was the only country in the UK where average weekly spending was more than £500. The ONS said there had been 'significant' rises in spending on items such as food and non-alcoholic drinks, transport, communication, and restaurants and hotelsAverage weekly household spending in London and the South East was over £600 whilst average weekly household spending in the North East was £437.00. Stephen Clarke, Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation, said: 'Today's figures confirm that families largely shrugged off any immediate post-EU referendum jitters and went spending. 'More recently, rising prices and squeezed incomes have put the brakes on Britain's big spending households.'

Source: Daily Mail January 18, 2018 11:47 UTC