The UK’s economic output could grow by an additional 1% as a result of government spending on vaccine distribution, an economist has said, in a welcome relief amid a quarter in which lockdown is expected to put GDP into freefall.

In the final quarter of 2020, GDP surprised economists to rise 1% quarter-on-quarter as a result of stronger services activity, Brexit stockpiling and extra spending on NHS Test and Trace. But with a strict lockdown expected to continue for most of the first quarter of 2021, a forthcoming GDP collapse is expected.