Reuters reports that more than three-quarters of British businesses continued to trade last month during the coronavirus lockdown, but most of them reported a drop in turnover, official data published on Thursday showed.

The Office for National Statistics also said 67% of companies it surveyed had applied for the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which provides funding for wages.

The vast majority of businesses in the accommodation and food service, and arts and recreation sectors, were not trading, the ONS said.