Fears grow over impact of ONS data reliability on Rachel Reeves’s budget

Troubles at UK statistics body are muddying economic picture for Treasury and spending watchdog, sources warn

Deep problems at the UK’s statistics agency with the quality of its data are piling pressure on officials in the run-up to the autumn budget, sources have told the Guardian.

Staff at the Treasury and its independent spending watchdog are struggling to get a clear picture of the economy because of troubles at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) with producing reliable numbers.