GVA

Gross value added (GVA) measures the value generated by an economic unit after subtracting the cost of goods and services used in production (intermediate consumption) from the value of its output. It is the preferred measure for sub-economy analysis because comprehensive tax data is not always available at sector or regional level. The relationship to GDP is: GDP = GVA + taxes on products minus subsidies on products. GVA is defined and published in the UK by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) at current basic prices.

The DSIT Digital and Technologies Sector Plan Year One Update (June 2026) reported UK tech-sector GVA of £158bn in 2024, equivalent to roughly 6% of UK total GVA . That figure sits alongside 107,082 active tech companies, 1.33 million sector employees earning average wages of £56,000, and £408bn in sector turnover, making GVA the anchor metric for the government's case that digital and technology contributes disproportionately to national output relative to headcount.

For policy purposes, GVA figures are used to justify sector-specific tax reliefs, R&D subsidies, and industrial strategy prioritisation. A rising GVA per employee is the measure most often cited to argue that a sector warrants sustained public investment; a declining GVA per employee signals productivity concerns even where headline investment totals look healthy.