UK services grow faster than forecast despite growing Brexit concern

Forecast slowdown in sector not as bad as feared with business growing more confident but British firms say growth remains sluggish

Britain's services sector, including hotels and banks, grew at a faster rate than expected last month, setting the economy on course for its strongest quarter in 2017 despite mounting fears over the challenges ahead from Brexit.

A hard Brexit would take Britain out of the EU's single market and customs union and ends its obligations to respect the four freedoms, make big EU budget payments and accept the jurisdiction of the ECJ: what Brexiters mean by "taking back control" of Britain's borders, laws and money. It would mean a return of trade tariffs, depending on what (if any) FTA was agreed. See our full Brexit phrasebook.

Inflation is when prices rise. Deflation is the opposite - price decreases over time - but inflation is far more common.