Britain’s goods trade deficit widened by more than expected in January as exports fell to their lowest level in more than a year and a half, official data showed yesterday.

The Office for National Statistics said the goods deficit was £9.793 billion in January.

That compared with a deficit of £7.662 billion in December, when one-off items helped push the shortfall to its lowest level in nearly a year-and-half.

Economists in a Reuters poll had forecast a shortfall of £8.6 billion.

Good exports fell four per cent to £24.248 billion, their lowest level since June 2012.

Britain’ overall trade deficit, including the country’s massive services industry, widened to £2.565 billion from £668 million in December.

Last year’s rebound in the British economy was mostly led by consumer spending, and the Bank of England wants to see the recovery broaden out to include more exports.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has said he plans to introduce measures to help British exporters and encourage investment when he announces an annual budget on March 19.

The volume of goods exports in December fell by 3.8 per cent in January. Imports rose by 5.8 per cent.

Goods exports to other countries in the European Union fell back to €12.193 billion, down nearly four per cent from December and their lowest level since October 2012.

Separate data from the ONS yesterday showed output in Britain’s construction sector rose 1.8 per cent in January.