(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 23 apr - UK public sector borrowing, the difference between total public sector spending and income, was 12.6 billion pounds in March, 1.4 billion less than in March 2025 and the lowest March borrowing since 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Borrowing in the financial year ending in March 2026 was estimated at 132.0 billion pounds, 13.1% less than the previous financial year, and 0.7 billion less than the forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Borrowing in the 2026 financial year was estimated at 4.3% of gross domestic product (GDP), 0.9 percentage points less than in the 2025 financial year and the lowest value since the financial year to March 2020, when it was 2.6% of GDP.

The current budget deficit - borrowing to fund day-to-day public sector activities - was 50.9 billion pounds in the financial year to March 2026; 33.1% less than a year earlier.

The current budget deficit in the 2026 financial year was estimated at 1.7% of GDP, 0.9 percentage points lower a year earlier it was the lowest value since the financial year to March 2020, when it was 0.7% of GDP.

Public sector net debt excluding public sector banks - a measure of the amount of money owed to the UK private sector and overseas less any liquid assets held - was provisionally estimated at 93.8% of GDP at the end of March 2026; this was 0.6 percentage points more than in March 2025 and remains at levels last seen in the early 1960s.

Public sector net financial liabilities excluding public sector banks - which considers a wider range of financial assets and liabilities than net debt - were provisionally estimated at 83.3% of GDP at the end of March 2026; this was 2.3 percentage points more than in March 2025.

Central government net cash requirement (excluding UK Asset Resolution Ltd and Network Rail Ltd) - the additional cash needed to be raised from the financial markets to finance activities - was 28.0 billion pounds in March 2026; this brought the total net cash requirement in the financial year to March 2026 to 135.9 billion pounds, which was 24.7% less.

than a year earlier.

(RADIOCOR) 23-04-26 08:33:43 (0177) 5 NNNN