'Phone app economy' worth £2.2 billion

Britain's love affair with smart phone technology has created a booming app industry worth billions to the country's economy, it has emerged.

The growth of Facebook and mobile applications has created an 'app' economy in the UK worth an annual £467m, according to the new Deloitte report.

And the explosion of a new 'app economy' in London has seen developers generating 7,500 jobs across the UK.

The report, the first of its kind, shows that in recent years has supported 35,200 jobs and contributed a total of £2.2 billion to the economy UK.

It also reveals that small and medium business have used Facebook to support over 18,000 jobs and create £1.14bn in business.

Entrepreneur Joshua March created a new business in Percy Street, Camden called iPlatform based on the website.

He said: "Software is becoming a key part of all industries; in the near future, if you do not understand code you will not be able to effectively work or take part in society. The government is starting to take baby steps in the right direction towards an effective ICT curriculum."

Facebook announced new programmes to help small businesses profit from the network social, alongside UK partnerships to equip young people with digital skills for an emerging jobs market.

Alongside partnerships with British Chambers of Commerce and Enterprise Nation to support small businesses in UK, the website will also offer £4.12m in free adverts to help 50,000 small businesses in the EU get started or survive.