outstrip

"We always had the ambition to go as high as we could, but we have probably outstripped expectations – certainly in terms of the speed in which we have got here," says director Humphrey Ker.

Decades of underinvestment in social housing also means demand in that area is massively outstripping supply - which at 4% of housing stock is significantly lower than many other countries, according to Mr Fotheringham.

According to the UK Payments Markets Survey, cards began outstripping cash in 2012.

He added that, coming out of lockdowns, there was a period of "unusually higher earnings" for drivers, as demand outstripped supply of available rides.

"Regrettably demand for care in our hospitals continues to outstrip current capacity."