Government borrowing, debt and debt interest: statistics

This is a purely statistical note on public sector borrowing (the budget deficit), public sector debt and government debt interest payments.

The charts below show public sector net borrowing, public sector net debt and debt interest payments. Outturn figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the latest Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts are shown. 

The OBR’s latest official forecasts were published on 11 March 2020 before the extent of the policy response to coronavirus, including the economic lockdown, was known. These forecasts, therefore, aren’t included in this briefing as they are no longer considered the best central estimates. The forecasts are still included in the OBR’s public finances databank, for those who are interested.

The Library briefing Coronavirus: Effect on the economy and public finances discusses borrowing, debt and debt interest.

 Other Library briefings discuss borrowing and debt further: The budget deficit: a short guide provides some key definitions, whilst public finances discusses recent outturns and forecasts.

Borrowing and debt data are available back to the 1920s the OBR’s public finances databank. The data are in the sheet called ‘Public finances since 1920’.