Report
Government borrowing rises by a fifth to £18bn in August
BBC NewsFactual
UK government borrowing rose to £18.3bn in August, nearly a fifth higher than a year earlier and above official forecasts. The Office for National Statistics attributed the increase to persistently high inflation driving up overall spending, with inflation reaching a five-month high on rising petrol and diesel prices. The figures add pressure on Chancellor John Healey ahead of his first Budget on 28 October.
