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Tourism in Ireland

Development of the tourism sector in ireland from 1995 to 2019.

Revenues from tourism

All data for Ireland in detail

Travel and tourism in Ireland

Statistics report on travel and tourism in the Republic of Ireland

This report presents a range of statistics and facts on the travel and tourism industry in the Republic of Ireland. It provides key figures on inbound, domestic, and outbound tourism, including the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on this market. The report also shows data on accommodation establishments, tourism employment, and visitor attractions.

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Table of contents.

• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Ireland 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Ireland 2019-2022, by type
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Ireland 2019-2022, by tourist type
• Premium Statistic Tourism spending in Ireland 2012-2019
• Premium Statistic Average daily expenditure on tourism in Ireland 2019, by tourist type
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Ireland 2019-2022
• Premium Forecast Industry revenue of “travel agency, tour operator, reservation service“ in Ireland 2012-2025

COVID-19 impact

• Premium Statistic Estimated impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism revenue in Ireland 2020
• Premium Statistic Estimated impact of COVID-19 on tourism revenue in Ireland 2020, by sector
• Premium Statistic Estimated number of tourism jobs lost due to COVID-19 in Ireland 2020, by sector
• Premium Statistic International tourism receipts in Ireland 2011-2023

Inbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of overseas travel arrivals in Ireland 2019-2021, by mode
• Premium Statistic Number of inbound tourist visits to Ireland 2012-2019
• Premium Statistic Number of inbound tourists in Ireland 2018-2019, by country
• Premium Statistic Number of overseas tourist visits in Ireland 2019, by region
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism spending in Ireland 2012-2019
• Premium Statistic Overseas vacationers in Ireland 2019, by age
• Premium Statistic Share of overseas tourists in Ireland in 2019, by month of arrival

Domestic and outbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourist trips in Ireland 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Ireland 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of outbound tourist trips from Ireland 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism expenditure in Ireland 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Share of people intending to travel in Ireland April 2021, by destination and period

Accommodation

• Premium Forecast Industry revenue of “accommodation and food service activities“ in Ireland 2012-2025
• Premium Forecast Industry revenue of “accommodation“ in Ireland 2012-2025
• Premium Forecast Industry revenue of “hotels and similar accommodation“ in Ireland 2012-2025
• Basic Statistic Number of travel accommodation establishments in Ireland 2011-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of rooms in accommodation premises in Ireland in 2019, by type
• Basic Statistic Number of hotels and similar accommodation in Ireland 2006-2019
• Basic Statistic Number of hotel rooms in Ireland 2010-2021
• Basic Statistic Hotel bedroom occupancy rates in Ireland 2012-2019

Tourist activities and visitor attractions

• Premium Statistic Number of overseas travelers engaging in outdoor activities in Ireland 2019
• Premium Statistic Preferred activities by domestic vacationers in Ireland 2019
• Premium Statistic Most visited free tourist attractions in Ireland 2021, by attendance
• Premium Statistic Most visited paid tourist attractions in Ireland 2021, by attendance

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2024 Reports

2023 reports, 2022 reports, 2021 reports, 2020 reports, 2019 reports, 2018 reports.

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Year End Review 2023 & Outlook 2024

27 December 2023

ITIC’s 2023 Review and 2024 Outlook shows that Irish tourism remains robust despite domestic cost challenges and international geopolitical events. It is estimated that €5.3 billion will have been spent by international visitors while visiting Ireland in 2023 with 254,000 people working in the sector making it the country’s largest indigenous industry and biggest regional employer.

Looking ahead, ITIC forecast that Irish tourism can achieve 5% revenue growth in real terms in 2024 with the North American market offering the best prospects.

VISION 2030: An Irish Tourism Strategy for Growth

18 September 2023

Ireland’s tourism industry can be ambitious about its future whilst delivering on its environmental sustainability obligations. That is the vision outlined in this strategy by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) – by 2030 the industry can be worth €15 billion to the national economy, can employ up to 350,000 people across the country, and will be delivering €3.5 billion tax receipts to the exchequer each year.

This key report recommends 38 actions to maximize potential outcomes.

11,500 hotel bedrooms needed by 2032 to meet projected tourism demand

17 August 2023

A key report by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation estimates that there is a deficit of 11,500 tourism bedrooms in the State if Ireland is to meet projected demand over the next decade.

The report, carried out by economist Jim Power, identifies that the price of sites, allied to construction inflation, make new builds cost-prohibitive apart from selected urban hotspots and Government will have to intervene with a range of policy measures to stimulate developments.

ITIC analysis of CSO’s first Tourism Satellite Account

25 July 2023

The CSO has just released its first Tourism Satellite Account, an internationally recognised framework for measuring tourist activity. It makes for interesting reading and underlines tourism’s importance to the national economy. Using 2019 data – the last year of full data pre-pandemic – the TSA estimated that tourist activity accounts for 4.4% of the economy and employs 13% of the national workforce.

Tourism’s Budget 2024 Submission

13 July 2023

ITIC launches its pre-budget submission and makes the clear case that restoring competitiveness and maintaining investment is vital to enable Ireland’s tourism industry overcome challenges and achieve sustainable growth. ITIC argues that 5 key budget decisions should be taken to support the 20,000 businesses within Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry.

The Competitiveness of Irish Tourism – Review & Outlook

23 June 2023

Irish tourism is at a key juncture with demand strong but supply significantly compromised and sustainability at the heart of all considerations. In that context this timely report from the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) looks at the competitiveness of the sector and how worrying signs of erosion need to be addressed.

Competitiveness is critical to the continued recovery and sustained growth of the sector and this important report from ITIC outlines 10 strategic recommendations as to how Irish tourism’s competitiveness can be improved.

Increase in 9% VAT rate would damage jobs and add to inflation

11 January 2023

This report by Economist Jim Power, commissioned by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, finds that the scheduled VAT increase from 9% to 13.5% on February 28th will damage the industry at such an uncertain time. The VAT increase could cost up to 24,000 jobs and add 4.1% inflation to the cost of accommodation and food services.

The report concludes that VAT should be kept at 9% to protect the competitiveness of a vulnerable industry particularly when key source markets are going through economic turbulence.

Irish Tourism: Recovery & Outlook

10 January 2023

What does 2023 hold for Irish tourism in these most volatile of times? And how strong was the recovery in 2022?

The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) has done a deep dive into the state of Irish tourism including economic analysis of our key source markets, a review of air and sea access to Ireland, and key challenges that will need to be overcome to ensure sustained recovery is secured.

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Wild Atlantic Way Uncovered

May in Ireland

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Ireland's beaches

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Coolest places to stay in Ireland

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Where to go

One amazing island. Six unique regions

Soaring cliffs, buzzing little towns and a way of life forever inspired by the sea, that's what you'll find on the world’s longest defined coastal touring route.

Amazing cliff-walks, Game of Thrones® adventures, Titanic attractions – let Northern Ireland stir your soul.

A UNESCO City of Literature, a historic powerhouse and a super-cool capital that’s been named Europe’s friendliest city twice by TripAdvisor.

Did you know that there are over 5,000 years of history hidden amidst these lush landscapes, winding rivers and glorious gardens?

Cutting-edge food, traditional pubs and incredible Titanic history take Belfast to the next level – welcome to one of Ireland's most exciting cities.

With charming riverside towns and villages, majestic forests and sparkling waterways, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands is slow-travel perfection.

Amazing places to see

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Causeway Coastal Route

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Take a journey to the edge of the world...

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2 days 99 miles

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Experience Ireland at its wildest.

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From accommodation to activities, find out how to explore our beautiful island in a sustainable way.

Ireland Tourist Arrivals

Tourist arrivals in ireland decreased to 1302.50 thousand in january from 1433.60 thousand in december of 2023. tourist arrivals in ireland averaged 1223.85 thousand from 1985 until 2024, reaching an all time high of 2645.00 thousand in september of 2007 and a record low of 16.10 thousand in april of 2020. source: central statistics office, ireland,   markets,   gdp,   labour,   prices,   money,   trade,   government,   business,   consumer,   housing,   taxes,   health,   climate.

Equinix claims Ireland has a "moratorium" on data centre development

Nasdaq-listed Equinix, Inc has hit out at what it described as an effective government "moratorium" on data centre development in Ireland after a planned data centre in Clondalkin was denied a national grid connection last year

Equinix said the west Dublin data centre would be capable of supporting up to 10,000 jobs in Ireland in a recent report on the company's contribution to the Irish economy, carried out by KPMG .

Equinix's application for a connection to the grid for its planned 9.9MW retail international business exchange facility at Profile Park on Nangor Road in the west Dublin suburb and planning permission for the centre was denied by South Dublin County Council last August.

The company estimates that the construction of said facility would generate an economic output of more than €200m, and the company claimed it would add 20 jobs had the facility gone ahead.

Peter Lantry , managing director for Ireland at Equinix, said that multinationals are choosing to base their operations outside of Ireland due to what her termed an "ongoing national grid crisis."

“This research shows the vast spectrum of companies and industries working with Equinix and using our services," said Lantry. "We are supporting companies of all sizes, from multinationals to smaller Irish enterprises, with more than 30 of our customers having fewer than 20 employees.

"All of these enterprises are not just key for our economic growth, but vital in our daily lives, too. Innovation is happening every day in Equinix, shown by the number of people using our data centres as a digital hub on a daily basis."

The government introduced policy for data centre development two years ago in recognition of the "significant capacity constraints" such facilities place on the national grid and the state's environmental obligations.

At the time, data centres accounted for 14% of electricity used in Ireland, and the 12 biggest data centres in the country used more than 900MW through the national grid.

Under the policy, data centre developments must facilitate strong economic activity and employment and should make efficient use of the electricity grid, use renewable energy and ultimately provide services on a net-zero basis in addition to providing opportunities for community engagement and SMEs.

A spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said they recognise data centres in Ireland as "underpinning a tech sector which is leading on the global stage, and that our central to Ireland’s economic and digital future."

"The 2022 Government Statement on the “Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy” signals the Government’s clear preference for sustainable Data Centre developments that can demonstrate a clear pathway to decarbonise and ultimately provide net zero data services," they continued.

"This provides a framework for decisions to be made around energy connections over the next number of years while we have the challenge of balancing supply and demand of energy with meeting our climate targets."

In response to Equinix's comments, EirGrid said new data centres requesting connection to the transmission system have been reviewed on a case-by-case basis since November 2021 following a CRU directive.

The operator said it considered a number of criteria when deciding on making a grid connection offer to a data centre developer, including the location of the proposed data centre with respect to whether it is within a "constrained or unconstrained region of the electricity system."

It also considers the ability of an applicant to bring dispatchable generation and/or storage equivalent to or greater than its demand, and their ability to provide flexibility in its demand by reducing consumption when requested to do so.

"EirGrid is applying these criteria to all data centre applications," EirGrid said. "Those data centres that already had connection agreements with EirGrid are free to progress their developments."

Equinix's existing facilities in Ireland currently support businesses that employ 53,000 people, or nearly 2% of the workforce in Ireland, and the company's own workforce has grown 20% since 2021, although it has paused hiring since it was denied the grid connection.

The firm hosts more than 260 businesses, half of which are indigenous enterprises, at its Irish data centres, and Lantry said that digital infrastructure is "essential" to supporting the workforce, especially with the rise of AI and hybrid/remote working.

"We have the ability and technology to operate flexibly off the grid, meaning we can be self-sufficient when the grid is at capacity," Lantry said.

"By allowing Equinix to provide this service to the grid, Ireland can save its reputation as a digital powerhouse, supported by some of the best talent in Europe."

Photo: Peter Lantry. (Pic: Supplied)

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Irish Tourism Sector 2019 (Tourism Satellite Account)

Inbound and domestic tourism spend was €10 billion in 2019, frontier series output.

CSO Frontier Series outputs may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release. Learn more about CSO Frontier Series outputs

• Key Findings

Expenditure by inbound tourism to Ireland was €7.3 billion in 2019, with overnight visitors accounting for 96% of this total. 

Domestic tourism expenditure by Irish residents was €2.7 billion, with overnight visitors spending 79% of this amount.

In 2019, outbound expenditure on tourism by Irish residents amounted to €8.3 billion, with same-day trips accounting for less than 1% of this total.

The number of full-time equivalent employees working in tourism was estimated to be 284,800 in 2019 and these employees worked in almost 46,000 tourism-related enterprises.

Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA) was estimated to be approximately €13.5 billion in 2019 which equalled a total Gross Value Added (GVA) share of 4.4% in the Irish economy.

Statistician's Comment

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (21 July 2023) released Irish Tourism Sector 2019 (Tourism Satellite Account).

A Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) compiles data from many different sources and allows for comparisons between the tourist industries in different countries. This is the first time the CSO has published TSA analysis for Ireland.

Commenting on the release, Brendan Curtin, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said: “ The figures in this new release published as part of the CSO Frontier Series, provide an overview of tourist activity and the importance of tourism to the Irish economy in 2019. This release uses an internationally recognised framework known as a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA). Using this methodology means data on tourism in Ireland can be compared with other EU countries.

For the EU-27 inbound tourism expenditure was worth €437 billion in 2019. Five countries (Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands) accounted for two-thirds (65%) of this expenditure, while Ireland had a 2% share.

For Ireland overnight trips accounted for almost all expenditure on inbound and outbound tourism trips in 2019 (96% and 99% respectively). Across the EU same day trips accounted for 13% of expenditure on inbound tourism trips and 6% of outbound tourism trips.

The per capita estimate of internal tourism consumption in Ireland was approximately €2,000 per inhabitant in 2019. This compares with an average value of €2,800 per inhabitant across the EU for internal tourism."

Information note

The data for Ireland contained in this release was submitted by the CSO to Eurostat in 2022 as part of a voluntary triennial TSA data collection exercise .  The results should be seen as an initial phase of a process which the CSO will refine and enhance over time as more information becomes available.

The triennial TSA EU data can be referenced in the following publication.

Tourism Satellite Accounts in Europe 2023 edition

Tourism Consumption in 2019

Internal tourism consumption in Ireland in 2019 amounted to €10 billion. This was the sum of inbound tourism expenditure and domestic tourism expenditure (but did not include some other broader components of TSA tourism consumption, such as the imputed rent of holiday homes). Inbound tourism expenditure made up 73% of the total internal tourism consumption (€7.3 billion), while domestic tourism expenditure contributed €2.7 billion to the internal tourism spending in 2019. 

Across the EU in 2019 the percentage of all internal tourism expenditure which came from inbound tourism was 38%. For some countries in 2019 domestic expenditure made up over 80% of all internal tourism consumption (Romania and Germany), while Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Croatia all had domestic expenditure which was less than 20% of the total internal tourism consumption.

For inbound tourism, 96% of the total expenditure was spent by overnight visitors to Ireland (€7.0 billion), while same-day visitors spent less than €300 million in 2019. In comparison, across the EU 87% of total inbound tourism expenditure was attributed to overnight visitors. A similar analysis of domestic tourism reveals that overnight domestic trips accounted for 79% of all domestic tourism expenditure (€2.1 billion) in Ireland, and that Irish residents on same-day visits spent almost €600 million in 2019. Across the EU, overnight domestic trips in 2019 accounted for 69% of all domestic expenditure.

Across the EU the largest share of the total inbound tourism overnight stay expenditure in 2019 (€437 billion) was recorded in Spain (19%), and along with France (15%), Italy (13%) and Germany (11%). These four countries accounted for more than half of all inbound tourism expenditure. In 2019 Ireland had a 2% share of the EU total of inbound tourism overnight stay expenditure.

To measure internal tourism consumption relative to the size of each country, Eurostat generated per capita estimates. On average the value of internal tourism was €2,800 per inhabitant across the EU. Luxembourg (€5,800) and Netherlands (€5,300) had the highest per capita internal tourism consumption, while Hungary, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Romania all had a figure of less than €1,000 per capita. For Ireland, the per capita estimate of internal tourism consumption was approximately €2,000 per inhabitant.

Outbound tourism expenditure (Irish residents travelling abroad) amounted to €8.3 billion in 2019. Almost all (99%) was spent by overnight visitors. This compares with an average of 94% across EU countries in 2019, with Hungary the only country where same-day outbound visits accounted for more than 20% of the total outbound tourism expenditure.

Tourism Contribution to the Economy

The TSA methodology also compiles data from both the supply side and the demand side of tourism within the overall system of National Accounts. This allows a country to determine a measure of Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA), which is the component of output from the Irish tourism industries that is driven directly by tourism spend. Essentially it involves estimating all tourist related spending by domestic and foreign visitors within Ireland. TDGVA is calculated by reconciling the supply (the output of tourism industries) with the use (tourist consumption) side of tourism, so that the proportion of the output of the tourism industries that is accounted for by tourism expenditure can be estimated.

The CSO has generated an initial estimate for the TDGVA which calculates that tourism contributed €13.5 billion to the Irish economy in 2019, and this gives a ratio of TDGVA to total Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy of 4.4%. Across the EU the average ratio was estimated at 4.5% in the same year. Croatia (11.3%) recorded the largest TDGVA ratio in 2019, followed by Portugal (8.1%) and Spain (6.9%). The lowest TDGVA ratio was found in Luxembourg (1.2%) and Belgium (1.8%).

The main tourism industry contributors to TDGVA in 2019 in Ireland were accommodation services for visitors and food and beverage serving activities (€5.1 billion).

Tourism Employment in 2019

As part of the TSA methodology certain specified industries are considered to be involved in tourism characteristic activities (for example accommodation services and passenger transport). Employment in these sectors can then be defined as tourism characteristic industry employment. But within these sectors not all employment may be directly connected to tourism (such as serving local customers at a restaurant). Therefore, the TSA records both tourist industry employment and the more specific concept of tourism specific employment.

In 2019, the CSO estimated that there were 284,800 full-time equivalent jobs directly involved in tourism in Ireland, which represents a tourism share of more than 13% of total full-time equivalent jobs in the overall Irish economy. This compares with an approximate 4% share of all employment involved in Agriculture, a   6% share of employment in Construction, and 12% of employment in the Industry sector. When all full-time equivalent jobs in the tourism characteristic industries are included (adding those not directly involved in tourism), the employment figure rose to 351,700. 

In terms of tourism businesses an estimated 45,700 enterprises were involved in providing goods and services directly to tourism in 2019.

Tourism Non-monetary Data

The TSA also measures non-monetary data relating to tourism. This information covers same-day trips, overnight trips and overnight stays which are broken down by inbound, domestic, and outbound visits. In 2019 inbound tourism to Ireland consisted of 1.5 million same-day visits, and 10.6 million overnight trips, which led to 73.6 million nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors. Domestic tourism in 2019 saw 11.1 million same-day visits and a similar number of overnight trips (11.6 million). These overnight trips resulted in 29.5 million nights away on trips for Irish residents in 2019. Irish residents who travelled abroad went on 710,000 same-day trips and 9.4 million overnight trips. In total these overnight trips resulted in 66.9 million nights spent away from home outside of Ireland.

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Data centres should not be scapegoated for energy crisis, IDA Ireland warned

The IDA, Ireland’s inward investment agency, urged against “scapegoating” data centres for the electricity supply crunch and said there was a direct link between the facilities’ establishment and job creation in Ireland by their owners.

In a paper on security of energy supply submitted to the Department of Enterprise last year, the IDA warned: “Data centres should not be ‘scapegoated’ for the current crisis in the electricity market.”

A similar warning was made in an internal briefing document prepared for senior IDA officials ahead of a meeting with the Department of Environment in November. The briefing note added that “the operation of data centres cannot be viewed in isolation to jobs associated with other activities of data centre owners, eg research and development, customer support, etc”.

“There is a direct link between data centre establishment and job creation,” the note stated.

An IDA management committee communiqué from November highlighted the security of electricity supply as a serious issue “impacting on investment decisions”.

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It said: “The issue has been raised at the very highest level of government, with a meeting of SecGens [secretaries general of departments] on the subject this week.”

It said that the next step would be to take feedback from IDA client companies on this issue to cabinet, adding that large energy users thinking of investing in Ireland were aware of power supply problems and were “increasingly re-evaluating new and future investments in terms of electricity supply, security, redundancy, cost and sustainability”.

The records were released under the Freedom of Information Act. EirGrid, the power grid operator, has warned Ireland faces potential supply shortages until 2026, with emergency back-up generation needed to ensure lights are kept on next winter. Data centres could account for a quarter of demand by 2030.

The IDA briefing note was based on feedback from international investors, who felt data centres were being portrayed as the “culprit for current electricity problems” when supply issues such as some power plants being offline and disappointing uptake from electricity capacity auctions were “clearly responsible”.

The note highlighted concerns among investors about electricity supply in Dublin and the greater Dublin area, adding significant investment was required.

“At a broad level, Ireland, within the EU, is generally seen by investors as relatively good on business regulation (ie not overregulated). This helps provide a competitive advantage for Ireland,” the note stated.

However, it said planning — especially delays and legal challenges — were a “big concern” for potential investors, including those looking to pursue renewable projects.

The briefing said the IDA could help in bringing new technologies to Ireland and that its clients wanted 100 per cent renewable electricity.

It said: “The vision that Ireland can be a global leader in renewable electricity generation and distribution (akin to Saudi Arabia and oil) needs to underpin the country’s approach to energy.”

The briefing warned against “restricting electricity supply to LEUs [large energy users] such as data centres, as some interests propose as a solution”.

A meeting of the IDA Ireland executive in mid-October heard how Ireland’s energy supply problems had not been expected so soon.

An executive summary for the meeting said: “It was anticipated that it would be about 2026 when there would be a ‘sizeable tightness in the electricity market’, but, being six years out, there still would be reasonable time to take necessary action to ensure the ‘tightness’ would not occur.

“Unfortunately, what has happened since is that there have been unanticipated issues around gas-fired generation, which has led to more immediate supply problems.”

Related articles

Money blog: Darts fans in shock over price of pint; which biscuits have most sugar?

The new energy price cap has been announced, and it means average bills will fall by more than £100 from July. Read about this and the rest of today's consumer and personal finance news - and leave a comment - in the Money blog below.

Friday 24 May 2024 20:40, UK

• Energy bills to be cheaper from July as price cap falls to £1,568
• But predictions say cap will rise again
• What now for mortgages after inflation and election announcements?
• TSB and Nationwide are paying new customers to join  
• June cut in interest rates 'ruled out by inflation figures'
• 'Absolutely disgraceful': Darts fans left in shock over price of pint

Essential reads

• Which biscuits have the least sugar? Your guide to elevenses
• Savings Guide: Britons urged to act quickly to grab above-inflation savings rates while they last
• Top Northern Ireland chef picks his Cheap Eats - in Belfast and at home
• Money Problem : 'My second-hand Ford is being written off with a known issue - but no one is taking responsibility'
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

Cara Delevingne's childhood home is up for sale - but it's come to market with a huge £23.5m price tag. 

The 5,456 sq ft property in London's Belgravia was also home to controversial casino and zoo owner John Aspinall in the 1960s. 

Mr Aspinall and the mansion were also linked to the disappearance of Lord Lucan in 1974 - a mystery that still hasn't been solved. 

After he died in 2000, the five-bedroom house was bought by Charles and Pandora Delevingne - the parents of supermodel Cara and her older sisters Chloe and Poppy.

The Grade II-listed building on Lyall Street comes with two reception rooms, a study, a home cinema and a professional chef's kitchen. 

A gym, sauna, steam room and rooftop cocktail bar are also included. 

In around 2014, with their daughters grown up, the Delevingnes moved from the Lyall Street mansion and downsized.

The current owners bought the house a couple of years later and have given the mansion an extensive renovation and modernisation. 

"It is one of the best houses currently available for sale in Belgravia and is immaculately presented and beautifully interior designed," said Charles Lloyd, head of Beauchamp Estates. 

The reason for the fall in the household energy price cap is pretty straightforward - wholesale electricity and gas prices have fallen since the price cap was last set in February this year.

Wholesale gas and electricity prices make up by far the biggest proportion of the energy bills - £720 of the current £1,690 - and Ofgem is assuming, for July, August and September, a wholesale electricity price of 22.36 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh), down from 24.50 pence per kWh during the current quarter.

It is also assuming a wholesale gas price of 5.48 pence per kWh from July to September, down from 6.04 pence per kWh during the current quarter.

That brings down the wholesale energy component of the typical bill (which is based on an assumption that a household will use 12,000 kWh per year of gas and 2,900 kWh of electricity) from £720 to £619.

The question some people may have, though, is why the energy price cap that Ofgem has set for the three months from July remains higher, at £1,568, than the level at which it was set - £1,277 - at the time the energy crisis was sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

At first blush, this seems a reasonable enough question, given that a barrel of Brent Crude - a reasonable enough proxy for wholesale energy prices - stands today at $80.78 (£63.50) per barrel, down from the heights it hit after the invasion.

But bear in mind that, in those days, the price cap was only set by Ofgem every six months, rather than quarterly as at present.

The price cap in place immediately before the crisis came into effect on 1 October 2021 having been set on 6 August that year.

Prior to that, wholesale energy prices had been lower than they are now. The wholesale energy component for the price cap for the winter of 2021/22 was, accordingly, £528 - lower than the £619 it will be from July.

Other costs taken into account by Ofgem are also higher now than they were before Russia invaded Ukraine.

The UK needs "longer term solutions" on energy prices because they are still "record high almost", Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The Labour leader was commenting on a fall in the energy price cap.

From 1 July it will be £1,568 a year - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

But Sir Keir said many people were still struggling to make ends meet.

"Everywhere I go, so many people tell me the cost of living is still bearing down on them," he told Sky News.

"People on a mortgage, [those] coming off a fixed mortgage, know their mortgages are going up by hundreds of pounds.

"Everybody knows prices are still going up - energy prices are still record high almost."

He added: "We need longer term solutions."

Labour's proposed Great British Energy (GBE) would help energy prices "come down for good", Sir Keir claimed.

Asked when energy prices would drop under GBE, and how quickly it could be established, he said: "Certainly by the end of the parliament, and a lot sooner than that.

"We can set up Great British Energy pretty quickly."

Discussions are already under way with potential partners, he added.

Claire Coutinho, the energy secretary, told Sky News that Great British Energy is a "complete gimmick" and a "drop in the ocean".

She also accused Labour of having "no plan" on energy security.

Putting off "life admin" could be costing you thousands of pounds a year, research has suggested.

It is estimated that adults in the UK could save £300 a year by cancelling unused subscriptions, £420 by reviewing their day-to-day finances, and £372 by re-evaluating a gym membership. 

"On average, Brits admit to putting off simple tasks by four to six months," Lloyds Bank said.

When asked why they had been delaying, almost a fifth (18%) said there was no deadline, one in seven (16%) said it was easier to take no action, while for 13% the memory of previous difficulties was off-putting.

Turning to the future, a fifth (20%) admitted not having a pension, while only two fifths (42%) knew how to add more money to their pension if they had one. 

If you are looking for a detailed analysis of today's cut in the energy price cap (see our breaking news post from 7am) then the following from Martin Lewis is worth digesting.

The founder of Money Saving Expert has split his reaction into three sections.

Lewis says the cap will drop on 1 July by an average of 7.2% for Direct Debit customers, 6.9% for prepay customers, and 7.1% for those who pay when they get a bill.

The cap will fall to £1,568 a year - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

Standing charges (what you pay regardless of how much energy you use) "remain high" and are "virtually unchanged", Lewis says.

"All the cut" is via unit rates, he adds.

That means those who use more energy will be seeing bigger savings.

The electricity unit rate for Direct Debit customers from July will be 22.36p/kwH - down 9% from 24.5p, Lewis says.

The electricity standing charge will be 60.12p a day - up from 60.1p.

The gas unit rate will be 5.48p/kwH - down 9% from 6.04p.

And the gas standing charge will be 31.41p - slightly down from 31.43p.

Lewis says the results of a consultation on standing charges are likely to be published sometime in the "summer", adding: "Whenever that is."

As we reported in our post at 7.34am, respected market researcher Cornwall Insight is predicting that bills are likely to rise once more in the run-up to winter. 

Lewis comments: "If they're right this is the last fall, and the coming rises are big.

"On 1 July it's confirmed [the cap] drops 7%, so for every £100 paid today you pay £93. 

"Then on 1 Oct it's predicted to rise 12%, so you'll go back up and be paying £104. 

"Then on 1 Jan the crystal ball is saying it'll stay flat (at £104). 

"All this makes the cheapest fixes, which are currently 9% cheaper than now (so £91 per £100 on the price cap), look a decent bet."

Thousands of darts fans packed out the O2 last night as Luke Littler was crowned champion in the Premier League Darts final.

While his victory was met with big celebrations, the price of a pint left many upset.

Tom Park shared a photo of the menu on X which showed a pint of Camden Hells Lager cost £9.50. 

A Budweiser came in at £8.95 - and it was the same for a Stella Artois. 

Other social media uses responded to his post in shock.

Here are some of the replies we saw: 

• "That's absolutely disgraceful."
• "Bloody hell! That's a joke." 
• "We get so ripped off in this country."
• "£9.50 for a pint of Camden Hells in f****** robbery." 

Two pint offers didn't seem to be any better, with the menu showing the deal just worked out the same as buying two normal pints.

The Money team has contacted the O2 for comment. 

We've spoken a lot about shoplifting, with offences rising to their highest level in 20 years across England and Wales earlier this year. 

But here are two culprits we didn't expect to see... 

A pair of Labradors stealing a loaf of bread from a petrol station in Herefordshire. 

They were captured on CCTV walking down an aisle and picking goods off the shelves before wandering out. 

After the dogs were caught in the act, workers put out an appeal online and reunited them with their owner. 

Don't worry, the petrol station hasn't pursued charges. 

It can be hard to balance the demands of eating well without spending a lot.

In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket for the best value - and have enlisted the help of  Sunna Van Kampen , founder of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing food in the search of healthier choices.

In this series we don't try to find the outright healthiest option, but help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

Today we're looking at biscuits. 

"When some brands are up to two teaspoons of sugar per biscuit (and we all know you aren't having just one), then we need to look or substitutes or find ways to biscuit smarter for your health," Sunna says. 

The typical biscuit breakdown on average for market leading brands by type:

Freshly baked cookies: 40% sugar or 27g per 66g cookie 

"That's over six teaspoons of sugar - they're also generally the biggest biscuit on the shelf by some distance, so potentially a good choice to avoid," Sunna says. 

Chocolate chip cookies: 34% sugar or 8.6g per 25g cookie 

"That's the equivalent of over two teaspoons of sugar - delicious but there are better options."

Chocolate digestives: 28% sugar or 4.8g per 16.7g biscuit 

"That's a teaspoon per biscuit and I'm definitely not just eating one."

Shortbread: 17% sugar or 2.6g per shortbread 

"Almost half the sugar of a chocolate digestive."

Digestive biscuits: 15% sugar or 2.2g per 15g biscuit 

"These are starting to look a lot healthier as we are only talking half a teaspoon per biscuit."

Rich tea biscuits: 18% sugar or 1.5g per 8.3g biscuit. 

"This one's a bit healthier due to the size, but the best choice is Rich Tea's own 30% less sugar variety.

"That sits at 12% sugar (or just 1.1g per biscuit) - only a quarter of a teaspoon of sugar per biscuit."

The verdict 

The Rich Tea Light biscuit is hard to beat in Sunna's mind. 

"Its low sugar content make it a winner for health-conscious tea drinkers," he says.

"If you eat just four biscuits a week, swapping from chocolate chip cookies to Rich Tea Light could save you over 1.5kg of sugar per year from your diet.

"Small changes make a big impact," Sunna says. 

Digestive biscuits are also a solid choice, especially if you prefer a bit more substance with your tea. 

"For those moments when only chocolate will do, chocolate digestives are the best option, although they have a higher sugar content," he adds. 

Naturally, he urges biscuit-lovers to stay away from fresh-baked cookies and chocolate chip due to the high sugar levels. 

If you're looking to save money, own-brand biscuits from major supermarkets often offer comparable taste at 30-50% discount on average. 

"For example, Tesco's Rich Tea biscuits are just £0.65 per pack or £0.22 per 100g compared with McVities Rich Tea at £0.47 per 100g.

Here's a handy comparison; 

• Supermarket Baked Cookies - £0.68 per 100g
• Fox’s Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies - £1.14 per 100g
• McVities Chocolate Digestives - £0.50 per 100g
• Patterson’s Shortbread - £0.45 per 100g
• McVities Digestives - £0.42 per 100g
• McVities Rich Tea - £0.47 per 100g
• McVities Rich Tea Light - £0.60 per 100g

The nutritionist's view - by Dr Emily Prpa, nutritionist and science manager at Yakult . 

"It's no secret that Brits love biscuits, with a staggering 27 million UK households buying them every year. 

"A little of what you love is not a bad thing, but really it's all about moderation and making some positive swaps.

"For example, consider opting for biscuits that are made with wholemeal flour or whole grains such as oats. 

"Those which contain dried fruits and nuts can provide more fibre than other biscuits to help you meet the NHS-recommended 30g of fibre per day for adults. 

"The majority of your fibre needs to be obtained through other wholegrain sources of pasta and bread, as well as vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds.

"Fibre aids digestion, helps to regulate bowel movements and is a food source for one's gut bacteria, contributing to a healthy and diverse gut microbiome."

Read more from this series... 

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

It was already going to be a big week of economic announcements before Rishi Sunak called a general election: April inflation came down - though less than expected - as did retail sales and, from July, so too will the energy price cap. 

At the same time, we learned government borrowing in April was the fourth-highest on record and consumer confidence was that bit better than a month earlier. 

Sterling has come down from the highs reached after inflation data came out - £1 buys £1.27, pretty much back where we started the week. Against the euro, sterling held gains, with a pound equal to €1.1731, up from a €1.1671 low on the Monday open.

The oil price ticked down throughout the week and is now at $81.04 a barrel - down from $84 on Monday, which was already lower than all of April and most of March. It's good news for motorists and should impact prices at the pumps in about 10 days. 

On the stock market front, the FTSE 100 index of the most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange is down 1.5747% since the week.

There is almost zero chance of a cut in interest rates next month, a senior economist has said.

Michael Saunders, an adviser at Oxford Economics and a former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), said Wednesday's higher than expected inflation figures made it very unlikely.

The rate of price rises dropped to 2.3% in April - but economists had been predicting 2.1% .

The general election, called for 4 July, also makes an interest rate cut unlikely, Mr Saunders said.

"They themselves [the MPC] wouldn't want to be a cause of volatility," he told Bloomberg.

"The MPC would be especially reluctant to do a surprise rate change during an election campaign. 

"But, in practice, a June rate cut is already ruled out by inflation figures."

The first rate cut is likely to come in August, Mr Saunders said.

He added: "I do think over the course of the year, markets may now be slightly under-pricing the extent to which interest rates come down.

"I would still say [there will be] three rate cuts - the first one not until August, and then a couple more later in the year."

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