UK economy grows 6.6% in July as coronavirus restrictions eased The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported GDP grew by 6.6% in July as more parts of the economy opened up from the coronavirus lockdown. ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said of July's growth: "While it has continued steadily on the path towards recovery, the UK economy still has to make up nearly half of the GDP lost since the start of the pandemic.”