ONS data shows that UK manufacturing output fell by -0.8% in Q3 2025 compared with the previous quarter, with negative contributions from 5 of the 13 subsectors.
The largest drag came from the “manufacture of transport equipment”, which declined by -4.5%, largely reflecting a sharp drop in the “manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers” (-10.3%), mainly due to the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) cyber-attack.
The effect of the JLR incident is also visible in UK automotive production data (measured in units rather than turnover) from the SMMT, showing that vehicle output fell by -27.1% year-on-year in September, with “Home production” down -34.1% and “Export production” down -24.5%. Engine output also dropped by -23.6% year-on-year, including falls of -42.8% in “Home production” and -10.4% in “Export production”.
By subsector, capital goods output decreased by -0.5% in Q3 compared with the previous quarter but was +0.1% higher than in Q3 2024.
Among the four key industries, automotive output fell by -10.3% in Q3 (see above) and was -15.8% below the same period a year earlier.
Metal products remained weak, despite links to machinery and transport equipment through subcontracting and the inclusion of weapons and ammunition. Output was broadly unchanged on the quarter (+0.2%) but -7.2% lower year-on-year.
Aerospace, by contrast, expanded by +1.5% in Q3 and was +7.5% higher than in Q3 2024.
Finally, machinery output continued to strengthen, rising +1.4% on the quarter and +6.5% year-on-year.
You can download the ONS Statistical Bulletin from their web-site at https://www.ons.gov.uk/releasecalendar (13 November) or request it from MTA; we also have an analysis of the key industries which is available to members – please contact Martin Redhead ([email protected]) if you would like these charts.