UK public sector borrowing hit £23.3B in May 2026, exceeding forecasts by £5.6B as record debt interest payments and rising spending strain fiscal policy.

The Office for National Statistics said the government’s net borrowing was £23.2 in May, above economists’ £19bn prediction.

The ONS said borrowing was nearly a third (30.4%), or £5.4 billion, higher than a year earlier at £23.3 billion in May.