Political Calendar
Upcoming elections, economic events, and key official data releases — dates and context in one place.
Upcoming Elections
Local Elections (England)
Next scheduled cycle of English local government elections. Metropolitan boroughs, unitaries, and some county councils.
Police & Crime Commissioner Elections
PCCs elected across England and Wales every four years. Significant races in high-population areas.
General Election (legal deadline)
This Parliament first met on 9 July 2024. Under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 it dissolves automatically at the start of 9 July 2029 if not dissolved earlier, and polling day follows 25 working days later: Wednesday 15 August 2029 is the latest possible date. The Prime Minister can ask for an earlier dissolution at any time. This is the legal limit, not a forecast of when the election will be held.
Note:The Conservatives under Rishi Sunak called the 2024 General Election early (4 July 2024), about seven months before the legal deadline of January 2025 for that Parliament. Labour won a large majority. For this Parliament, automatic dissolution is 9 July 2029 and the latest possible polling day is 15 August 2029. Any earlier date is the Prime Minister's choice; we do not forecast it.
Economic Events 2026
Key OBR forecasts and Bank of England MPC meetings drive market expectations, mortgage rates, and government borrowing costs. The two OBR forecasts per year are the most significant fiscal events.
OBR Spring Statement
OBR published its Economic and Fiscal Outlook alongside the Spring Statement. Updated growth and borrowing forecasts.
MPC Meeting
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee — interest rate decision and Monetary Policy Report published.
MPC Meeting + Monetary Policy Report
Quarterly Monetary Policy Report — detailed BoE forecasts for inflation, growth and employment.
MPC Meeting
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee rate decision.
OBR Autumn Forecast
OBR publishes Economic and Fiscal Outlook alongside the Autumn Budget / Statement. Key for spending review and borrowing plans.
MPC Meeting
Bank of England MPC rate decision.
Autumn Budget
Annual budget — tax and spending decisions. Exact date announced by Chancellor. Major fiscal event.
MPC Meeting
Final Bank of England MPC meeting of 2026.
MPC schedule: The Bank of England MPC meets roughly every 6 weeks — approximately 8 times per year. Each meeting produces a rate decision; quarterly meetings also produce the Monetary Policy Report with detailed economic forecasts.
Regular Official Data Releases
These releases update the key statistics shown across this site. Monthly releases drive political commentary; understanding the release calendar helps contextualise media coverage.
ONS GDP Estimate
Monthly GDP estimate published ~28 days after the reference month. Key economic health indicator.
ONS Labour Market Statistics
Unemployment rate, employment figures, average weekly earnings. Published monthly ~6 weeks after reference period.
ONS Consumer Prices Index (CPI)
Inflation rate — 12-month CPI and CPIH. Published monthly ~2.5 weeks after reference month.
ONS House Price Index
Average UK house prices and regional breakdown. Published ~2 months after reference month.
ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales
Quarterly crime survey data covering personal and household crime. Supplemented by police recorded crime.
ONS Public Sector Finances
Monthly and quarterly public sector borrowing, debt, and spending. Key for assessing fiscal rules.
ONS Migration Statistics
Revised net migration estimates. Long International Migration series. Most politically sensitive release.
ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)
Definitive earnings data by sector, region, and occupation. Used for minimum wage assessment.
All releases are free and publicly available at ons.gov.uk. The ONS release calendar is published in advance at ons.gov.uk/releasecalendar.