What's going on?

While the UK economy appeared to be growing �so-so� in the first quarter of this year, recent data for April suggests it�s now �near stalling�. And everyone seems to be blaming the Brexit referendum.

What does this mean?

The British economy is even more reliant than most on �services� (things like accountancy, financial trading and going out to restaurants) � and according to data released on Thursday, April was the worst month for growth in that sector in more than 3 years. In fact, when combined with April surveys of the manufacturing and construction sectors released earlier this week, the collective picture suggests that the UK economy is growing at a pace of only 0.1% (for the second quarter so far). If sustained, that�s pretty anaemic.

Why should I care?

For you personally: Let�s hope growth can bounce back – your job might depend on it! Many economists say that the slowdown in economic growth is a temporary thing � if the UK votes to stay in the EU and the uncertainty is removed, then activity will get a boost as companies enact the decisions that they are currently delaying. That�s the optimistic view. However, the referendum uncertainty could be masking a real slowdown in UK economic activity (i.e. it might not be entirely the referendum�s fault).

The bigger picture: What would be the economic impact of Britain leaving the EU? While we have zero interest in getting political, we do recognize that our readers might be looking to get more informed about the potential economic impact of a Brexit on the UK (and Europe�s economy). Here are three places to start: a report by Capital Economics (commissioned by Woodford Investment Management), an article by The Economist and a report on the potential impact on the EU by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (there are lots of others � don�t be shy about informing yourself!).