British exports to the United States have fallen to their lowest level in more than three years as Donald Trump’s renewed tariff regime continues to weigh heavily on British trade.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show the value of UK exports to the US fell by £500 million in September, down 11.4% on the previous month and bringing trade back to levels last seen in January 2022.
The ONS said exports have “remained relatively low since tariffs were introduced in April,” when the Trump administration imposed a basic 10% tariff on most British goods. While this is lower than the tariff rate applicable to many other countries, it represents a significant step down from the duty-free access previously enjoyed by British exporters.
The decline came despite the trade deal struck earlier this year between President Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which lifted US tariffs on the UK’s aerospace sector and cut tariffs on car imports from 25% to 10%.
However, the easing was not enough to offset the general decline in demand. The ONS reported sharp falls in key categories: chemical exports fell by £300 million, while exports of machinery and transport equipment fell by £100 million, partly due to the cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover that halted production for five weeks in September.
In general, British trade in global markets weakened. Total goods exports fell by 1.7 billion pounds, or 5.5%, in September, with declines in both EU and non-EU markets.
The deterioration widened Britain’s goods trade deficit even further, rising by £3 billion to £59.6 billion in the third quarter of the year.
The figures underline the pressures facing British exporters as the government prepares for a key budget later this month. With global demand weakening, ongoing supply chain issues and tariffs impacting competitiveness in the UK’s largest single-country export market, businesses will be looking closely for support measures to offset increasing headwinds.
