The first estimate of the figure for the first quarter, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning, just missed economists’ predictions of around 0.9% growth.
This is the fifth successive quarter of growth, as the economy moves closer to its pre-crisis norm. Figures for the fourth quarter of 2013 showed growth of 0.7%.
Output increased in three of the four main industrial groupings within the economy in Q1 compared with Q4, the ONS said.
Output increased by 0.9% in services, 0.8% in production and 0.3% in construction. However, output decreased by 0.7% in agriculture.
In the first quarter, GDP was estimated to be 0.6% below the peak in Q1 2008. From peak to trough in 2009, the economy shrank by 7.2%.
GDP was 3.1% higher in the first quarter compared with the same quarter a year ago.
The ONS said there was some evidence to suggest construction output was affected by the storms and high rainfall in January and February. However, over the quarter, the storms have not had a significant impact on GDP growth in Q1 2014 and ONS has not classified them as a statistical special event.
Sterling dipped slightly against the dollar as the data was released.
Earlier this month, the International Monetary fund said it expects the UK to be the G8’s best performing economy in 2014, wih overall growth of 2.9%.
Today’s figure will add weight to the Bank of England’s plan to raise interest rates from their historic low of 0.5% as the economic recovery gains ground.
