An unexpected rise in UK borrowing and higher government debt costs means government help with energy bills, which are predicted to rise due to the Iran war, is less likely, economists have said.
Borrowing rose to £14.3bn in February to the second highest level for that month since records began, official figures show.
The figure measures the difference between total public sector spending and tax income and is for the month before the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
The cost of government borrowing has jumped since the start of the conflict as higher fuel costs have pushed up inflation fears.
The ONS said borrowing was £2.2bn higher than in February last year and much higher than the £8.8bn economists had expected it to be.
