The Office for National Statistics is currently the only source of subnational trade in services estimates for all UK regions. The statistics are published annually and use information from responses to the International Trade in Services (ITIS) Survey and the International Passenger Survey (IPS) and from administrative datasets.
The latest estimates are for the 2022 calendar year and were published in February 2025, a much longer time lag than for the quarterly regional trade in goods data. The estimates are one of the datasets that accompany the ONS International trade in UK nations, regions and cities statistical release.
The widest range of statistics are available for the 12 UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley combined authority areas. There is also some information at ITL2 and ITL3 level, although it only the latter that provides limited information for the North East combined authority area.
Regional exports of services
45%
London produces almost half of UK service exports
by value in 2022 (latest data). 64% from London and bordering regions, 25% from other six English regions, 11% from elsewhere in the UK.
£7.1 bn
North East region total
2022 estimate. 1.7% of total for all UK regions, 1.9% of England's total, 3.9% of England excl. London's.
£4,300
North East rate per working age resident
2022 rate, second lowest among 12 UK ITL1 areas, 16 to 64 year-olds a proxy for working age.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: Combinations of UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas. Other northern England includes the North West and Yorkshire and Humber ITL1 areas. Other south eastern England includes the East and South East ITL1 areas.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: London is omitted to aid comparison of other areas. The value of London exports of services in 2022 was £186 bn, about 45% of the total for all ITL1 areas.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: Excluding London to allow for better comparison of other areas. The London rate in 2022 was £30,450 per working age resident, more than three times the next highest rate.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: North East ITL1 area, which includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: Statistics for change in Northern Ireland value over time have been omitted from the chart due to the volatility of the time series. The value of Northern Ireland service exports increased by 72% between 2021 and 2022.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: Statistics for change in Northern Ireland value over time have been omitted from the chart due to the volatility of the time series. The value of Northern Ireland service exports increased by 21% between 2017 and 2022.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: UK ITL1 areas, where the North East includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: Statistics for change in Northern Ireland value over time have been omitted from the chart due to the volatility of the time series. The value of Northern Ireland service exports decreased by 5% between 2021 and 2022.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: North East ITL1 area, which includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: North East ITL1 area, which includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: The original dataset suppresses estimates of service exports to the United States and Ireland. The estimates in this chart are created by combining published data for other areas with percentages from previous years' estimates.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: North East ITL1 area, which includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: The original dataset suppresses estimates of financial and insurance service exports. The estimates in this chart are created by combining published 2022 data for other industry sectors with percentages from previous years' estimates. "Other service industries" include business support services, public administration, education, health, care, arts, entertainment, recreation and personal services. The "other" category includes non-manufacturing production such as agriculture, quarrying, utilities and construction, combined with wholesale and motor trades.
Source: International trade in UK nations, regions and cities (ONS), last updated (2022 data): Feb 2025. Geography: North East ITL1 area, which includes the North East and Tees Valley MCA areas Data information: Some data points are estimates of suppressed data based on trends in the time series.
The evidence hub includes an international trade source page which links to data reports about all aspects of this topic. The hub also includes a trade in goods analysis. The annual trade in services release is available on the ONS website.
Regional trade in services data source
The ONS release that includes sub-national trade in services data is named "International trade in UK nations, regions and cities". It also includes trade in goods statistics, but these are much less up todate than the quarterly HMRC release.
