The average weekly spend was £517.30 in 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics. Taking inflation into account, average spending has decreased from £539.80 in 2006, but is higher than in 2012 (£501). 

The highest proportion of spending went on housing (net), fuel and power at £74.40 per week. This category includes electricity, gas and other fuels (£26.50) and net rentals for housing (£32.00 a week). The second highest category was transport at £70.40, of which £21.10 was spent on the purchase of vehicles, £15.30 on transport services (such as rail, tube and bus fares) and £34.00 on the operation of personal transport (such as petrol, diesel, repairs and servicing). Spending on petrol (£15.70) combined with diesel (£7.60) accounted for one third of transport costs.

Recreation and culture (£63.90) was the third highest category. This category includes spending on TVs, computers, newspapers, books, leisure activities and package holidays. £21.00 a week was spent on package holidays abroad, compared with £1.40 a week on package holidays in the UK.

Average weekly expenditure on food and non-alcoholic drinks in 2013 was £58.80. £15.60 of this was spent on meat and fish, £4.30 on fresh vegetables, and £3.30 on fresh fruit.

Four regions showed expenditure higher than the UK average, in descending order: the South East, London, the East and the South West. At the opposite end of the scale, the North East, Yorkshire and The Humber and Wales had the lowest average spending.