# ONS Economy MCP

> The UK ONS Economy MCP gives your agent direct access to official British economic statistics from the Office for National Statistics. Pull quarterly and annual regional GDP data, track headline CPIH inflation rates (including housing costs), measure consumer spending volumes via retail sales indices, or analyze near real-time debit/credit card transaction patterns.

## Overview
- **Category:** data-analytics
- **Price:** Free
- **Tags:** gdp, inflation, economic-indicators, retail-sales, consumer-spending, macroeconomics

## Description

When you need to answer complex questions about the UK economy, this MCP cuts out the manual research. Instead of stitching together reports from multiple government sites, your agent pulls data points directly from ONS datasets. You can compare regional economic health—for instance, checking how London's GDP growth stacks up against Wales's—and immediately see the impact on household finances using tax and benefits statistics. Furthermore, you track inflation (CPIH) alongside actual consumer behavior, like retail sales or real-time card spending indicators. Because this data is sourced directly from the ONS, it provides a single source of truth for macro analysis. Connecting to Vinkius makes sure that all these diverse datasets are available through one connection point for your AI client.

## Tools

### get_gdp
Retrieves UK GDP data, covering both quarterly and annual metrics for various regions and sectors across England, Wales, and other defined areas.

### get_cpih
Provides the official CPIH measure, which is the headline inflation index used by the ONS that includes housing costs.

### get_retail_sales
Gets monthly data on both the value and volume of retail sales across Great Britain, using 2019 as its base year.

### get_spending_cards
Delivers weekly data offering a near real-time look at consumer spending patterns via debit and credit cards.

### get_tax_benefits
Calculates the redistribution effects of direct and indirect taxation and benefits, showing how they impact household income.

### get_economy_dataset
Allows querying any specific ONS economy dataset by its internal ID using flexible filters to target precise data points.

## Prompt Examples

**Prompt:** 
```
What is the current UK inflation rate?
```

**Response:** 
```
📊 **UK Inflation (CPIH)**

Latest: 3.2% (February 2026)
Previous: 3.4% (January 2026)

CPIH (Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs) is the ONS's headline inflation measure.

Key components:
- Food & non-alcoholic beverages: 4.1%
- Housing & household services: 5.8%
- Transport: 1.2%

Source: ONS, dataset cpih01
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Show me UK GDP by region
```

**Response:** 
```
🇬🇧 **UK Regional GDP (Q3 2025)**

| Region | Growth (QoQ) |
|--------|-------------|
| London | +0.4% |
| South East | +0.3% |
| North West | +0.2% |
| Scotland | +0.1% |
| Wales | -0.1% |

UK Total: +0.3% quarterly growth
```

## Capabilities

### Compare regional economic performance
You compare GDP growth rates and spending patterns across multiple UK regions (like England, Wales, and Scotland) in a single analysis.

### Track inflation against consumer spending
You measure the impact of CPIH changes on actual household purchasing power using retail sales data.

### Analyze income redistribution effects
You model how direct taxes and benefits affect the average household income across different demographics.

### Get near real-time spending insights
You monitor weekly debit and credit card transaction data to gauge immediate changes in consumer confidence.

## Use Cases

### Assessing post-pandemic economic recovery
A consultant needs a full picture of the UK's rebound. They ask their agent to compare recent quarterly GDP figures from `get_gdp` against the current retail sales index using `get_retail_sales`. The agent synthesizes this into one report showing if spending volumes match regional output.

### Analyzing inflation impact on budgeting
A policy researcher needs to know if high CPIH is hurting average families. They use `get_cpih` data and cross-reference it with the tax benefits statistics from `get_tax_benefits` to see which income groups are most vulnerable.

### Tracking immediate shifts in consumer demand
A financial analyst suspects a major shift in spending habits. They use `get_spending_cards` to get the weekly trend data, then ask their agent to run this against historical CPIH rates using `get_economy_dataset` for context.

### Developing regional investment strategies
A business developer needs to target growth areas. They use `get_gdp` (by region) and combine it with the retail sales data from `get_retail_sales` to identify specific geographic markets poised for expansion.

## Benefits

- Instantly compare regional growth. Use the `get_gdp` tool to see how London's quarterly growth stacks up against rural areas, providing a geographic view of economic health.
- Monitor inflation in real time. The `get_cpih` tool provides the official headline measure, letting you know if rising housing costs are outpacing wage increases.
- Gauge immediate consumer sentiment. Instead of relying on lagged reports, use `get_spending_cards` for weekly data that shows current spending habits using debit and credit cards.
- Understand purchasing power shifts. By combining the `get_retail_sales` index with inflation data, you can tell if consumers are buying less or simply spending less money.
- Model financial impact. The `get_tax_benefits` tool allows you to trace how tax policy changes directly affect household income distributions.

## How It Works

The bottom line is your AI client gets clean, official numbers without needing API keys or manual data extraction.

1. First, you tell your agent exactly what economic metric you need—for example, 'I need the quarterly GDP for the North West.'
2. The MCP executes the necessary query against the ONS data source, filtering by region and time period.
3. Your agent receives structured data containing the specific metrics (e.g., percentage change or total value) that you can then use to generate reports.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How do I find out the inflation rate using get_cpih?**
You query `get_cpih` and specify the aggregate (all items) and the UK geography. This tool provides the official headline CPIH measure, which includes housing costs for a comprehensive view.

**Can I compare regional GDP growth with spending data using get_gdp?**
Yes, you can use `get_gdp` to pull quarterly or annual figures by specific regions. You then combine those results with the retail sales index from `get_retail_sales` for a full comparison.

**What is the difference between get_spending_cards and get_retail_sales?**
`get_spending_cards` gives you near real-time, weekly data on actual card transactions. `get_retail_sales`, however, provides monthly data points showing both the value and volume of sales reported by retailers.

**Does this MCP cover tax changes?**
Yes, the `get_tax_benefits` tool specifically shows the effects of direct and indirect taxation and benefits on UK household income, helping you model redistribution impacts.