UK government borrowing reached £18.3 billion in August 2026, exceeding forecasts by £3.5 billion, while a global bond sell-off drove 10-year gilt yields to near 19-year highs by 24 September. The rising borrowing costs narrow Chancellor Healey's fiscal options before his Budget announcement.
No BS check run yet — press ⚖ to extract this story's claims and verify them against independent sources.
Higher-than-expected figure will make chancellor’s aim of calming jittery bond markets more difficult Business live – latest updates The UK government borrowed a higher-than-expected £18.3bn last month, increasing the pressure on John Healey as he attempts to calm jittery bond markets before next month’s budget. Official figures released by Office for National Statistics on Tuesday said public sec
The UK government borrowed £18.3 billion in August, 19% more than a year earlier and £3.5 billion above the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast, according to the Office for National Statistics. The figure was also higher than the £15.6 billion forecast by City analysts and was the second-highest borrowing total for an August on record, behind 2020 [bbc.co.uk#1][theguardian.com#1][theguardi
The UK government borrowed £18.3 billion in August, £2.9 billion more than a year earlier and £3.5 billion above the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast, according to the Office for National Statistics. The figure was also higher than the £15.6 billion expected by City analysts, as spending on public services, benefits and other costs grew faster than tax receipts while inflation remained
The UK government borrowed £18.3 billion in August, according to the Office for National Statistics, exceeding the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast by £3.5 billion [bbc.co.uk#1]. The figure was almost one-fifth higher than a year earlier [bbc.co.uk#1]. The figures increase pressure on Chancellor John Healey before his first Budget on 28 October. Higher inflation pushed spending on publi
UK government borrowing rose more than expected to £18.3bn in August, adding to the challenges facing Chancellor John Healey ahead of his high-stakes Budget next month. The increase, which was £3.5bn greater than the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast, was largely driven by government spending on public services and rising debt interest.
Rising cost of 10-year gilt to near 19-year high hikes upfront cost of government investment and limits chancellor’s room for manoeuvre Business live – latest updates International bodies warn of rising debt and borrowing risks Burnham stands by claim UK is ‘in hock’ to bond markets A global sell-off in government bonds has put fresh upward pressure on UK borrowing costs, before a tough budget for