NICK Clegg will warn Britain's recovery remains "slow and fitful" ahead of the publication of key economic data tomorrow that is widely expected to confirm the recession is over.

In a speech to business leaders tonight, the Deputy Prime Minister will strike a cautious note, despite predictions of a 0.6% rise in GDP for the third quarter.

The 2012 Olympics and a bounce-back after the Diamond Jubilee bank holidays are thought to have helped pull the economy out of the slump.

Mr Clegg will say: "There's a lot of speculation about what tomorrow's GDP figures will bring. Whatever they look like, we know that, overall, we've set the economy on the right path.

"Repairing the damage following the shock in 2008 is a gradual healing process and the Government must remain focused on reforms that will drive growth."

In a separate development, figures from the Office for National Statistics said incomes had suffered worse in the current recession than the two previous ones with national income per head having fallen more than 13% in four years.

Labour said the figures showed "families and pensioners are worse off because of the lack of jobs and growth under David Cameron's failing economic plan". Catherine McKinnell, Shadow Treasury Minister, insisted Labour would kickstart the economy with a temporary VAT cut and action to tackle soaring energy bills.