MNI BRIEF: UK Government Borrowing At Record Non-Covid Levels
MNI (LONDON) - UK government borrowing stood at GBP17.4 billion in October, £1.6 billion more thana year ago and behind only October 2020 as the second highest borrowing for that month since records began in January 1993, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.
Central government debt interest payable was £9.1 billion in October 2024, £0.5 billion more than in October 2023 and the highest October figure since monthly records began in January 1997. Overall borrowing in the financial year to October 2024 was £96.6 billion, £1.1 billion more than at the same point in the last financial year and the third highest financial year-to-October borrowing since monthly records began in January 1993.
The Labour Government announced last month it would change the target for the fiscal rules, swithing to the public sector net financial liabilities (PSNFL) measure. On that reading, debt-to-GDP stands at 83.7%, up 2.5 percentage points on a year ago. By comparison, public sector net debt-ex banks stood at a provisional 97.5%, with the GDP estimates updated inline with OBR data. (see MNI INTERVIEW: UK To Ease Debt Target, Avoid Net Worth Target )