London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

COVID-19: Virus fight forces government borrowing to £303bn - highest level since records began

COVID-19: Virus fight forces government borrowing to £303bn - highest level since records began

The latest figures show the national debt has passed £2.1trn as the public finances reel from the cost of the pandemic response.

The demands of the coronavirus crisis on the public purse strings forced government borrowing to its highest annual sum on record, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported net borrowing of £24.3bn in March - a month when the chancellor revealed a budget that pledged continued support for the public health effort and extended shields for the economy from continuing COVID-19 restrictions.

Figures showed that the latest sum took borrowing to £303.1bn in the 2020/21 financial year as a whole, representing 14.5% of GDP.

The ONS said it marked the highest annual total since 1947 - when comparable records began - though it came in well under the £355bn predicted just last month by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

The start of the financial year was dominated by the crisis as the UK had just entered its first pandemic lockdown, forcing many parts of the economy into a spring hibernation as the NHS grappled surging hospital admissions.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak was forced into 15 separate announcements during the period as a whole, with at least £280bn spent tackling the crisis.

The sum includes extra money for the health service, Test and Trace, vaccines and support schemes including the Job Retention Scheme, or furlough, along with loans and grants for businesses.

The furlough scheme has cost almost £60bn alone and was still supporting five million jobs earlier this month.

The ONS said the £303.1bn borrowing figure followed a deficit of £57bn in the previous financial year.


It meant that the country has net debt of £2.14trn - the highest proportion of GDP since the 1960s.

Mr Sunak used his last budget, in March, to signal that some targeted tax rises were on the way to help ease the deficit including a freeze in the personal income tax allowance.

But he said the emphasis would be on supporting growth in the economy as it looks to bounce back from 2020 that saw output plunge almost 10% - its worst performance in more than 300 years.

There are some encouraging early signs as the country emerges from its latest lockdown restrictions.

A closely-watched reading of activity in the manufacturing and powerhouse service sectors of the economy highlighted a deluge of new orders earlier this month.

The IHS Markit/CIPS preliminary "flash" composite purchasing managers' index rose to 60.0 in April from 56.4 in March, its highest reading since November 2013.

Any reading above 50 represents growth.

Separate ONS figures released on Friday showed retail sales rebounding strongly last month despite the fact many so-called non-essential retailers were unable to reopen their doors across much of the UK until 12 April.

Volumes rose 5.4% compared with February with fashion seeing the biggest leap of 17.5%.

The proportion of cash spent online fell as more people ventured out, the figures showed.

The data builds on the findings of surveys suggesting that services, construction and manufacturing are all gearing up to cash in on pent-up demand.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×