The latest public sector finances released on Tuesday 22 June reported a deficit of £24.3bn for May 2021, as COVID-related spending continued to weigh on the public finances, albeit at a reduced rate. An improvement from the £43.8bn reported for the same month last year during the first lockdown, it was still significantly higher than the £5.5bn reported for May 2019.
The Office for National Statistics revised the reported deficit for the year ended 31 March 2020 down by £1.1bn from £300.3bn to £299.2bn, still a peacetime record. The final total is still expected to exceed £300bn as the ONS has yet to include in the order of £27bn of bad debts on COVID-related lending in this number. Estimates will be refined further over the next few months.
Cumulative receipts in the first two months of the financial year of £128.6bn were £15.9bn or 14% higher than a year previously, but this was still £0.7bn or 0.5% below the level seen a year before that in April and May 2019. At the same time cumulative expenditure of £165.8bn was £20.9bn or 11% lower than the first two months of 2020-21, but £37.2bn or 29% higher than the same period two years ago.
Ultra-low interest rates continued to benefit the interest line, which at £9.1bn in April and May 2021 was £0.1bn or 1% lower than April and May 2020 and £1.5bn or 14% lower than April and May 2019.
Net public sector investment was slightly lower than last year with £7.1bn invested in April and May 2021, down £0.8bn or 10% from a year before but up £0.9bn or 15% from two years ago.
This combined to produce a cumulative deficit for the first two months of the 2021-22 financial year of £53.4bn, £37.7bn or 41% below that of the same period a year previously, but up £37.3bn or 232% from the total for April and May 2019.
Public sector net debt increased to £2,195.8bn or 99.2% of GDP, an increase of £58.4bn since March, reflecting £5.0bn of additional borrowing over and above the deficit, principally to fund coronavirus loans to businesses. Debt is £259.1bn or 13% higher than a year earlier and £427.2bn or 24% higher than in April and May 2019.
Alison Ring, ICAEW Public Sector Director, said: “With numbers for the second month of the financial year now in, we can see tax receipts are starting to approach pre-pandemic levels, while borrowing continues to increase despite COVID-19 spending starting to decrease.
“The public finances remain in a fragile state, and ongoing debates about education spending, adult social care and the pensions triple-lock highlight the difficult decisions facing Rishi Sunak as he seeks to balance pressures on our public services with still growing levels of public debt. The prospects of the Chancellor raising taxes in the Autumn Budget appear to be increasing.”
Public sector finances 2021-22: two months to 31 May 2021
| 2 months to May 2021 |
Variance vs prior year |
Variance vs
two years ago |
|||
| £bn | £bn | % | £bn | % | |
| Receipts | 128.6 | 15.9 | +14% | (0.7) | -0.5% |
| Expenditure | (165.8) | 20.9 | -11% | (37.2) | +29% |
| Interest | (9.1) | 0.1 | -1% | 1.5 | -14% |
| Net investment | (7.1) | 0.8 | -10% | (0.9) | +15% |
| Deficit | (53.4) | 37.7 | -41% | (37.3) |
+232% |
| Other borrowing | (5.0) | 42.9 | -90% | (17.9) |
-139% |
| Change in net debt | (58.4) | 80.6 | -58% | (55.2) | +1725% |
| Public sector net debt | 2,195.8 | 259.1 | +13% | 427.2 | +24% |
| Public sector net debt / GDP | 99.2% | 7.8% | +9% |
19.2% | +24% |
Public sector finances 2021-22: fiscal deficit by month
| Receipts: £bn | Expenditure: £bn | Interest: £bn | Net investment: £bn | Deficit:£bn | |
| April 2021 | 64.9 | (83.6) | (4.8) | (5.6) | (29.1) |
| May 2021 | 63.7 | (82.2) | (4.3) | (1.5) | (24.3) |
| Cumulative to May 2021 | 128.6 | (165.8) | (9.1) | (7.1) | (53.4) |
Caution is needed with respect to the numbers published by the ONS, which are expected to be repeatedly revised as estimates are refined and gaps in the underlying data are filled.
The ONS made a number of revisions to prior month and prior year fiscal numbers to reflect revisions to estimates. These had the effect of reducing the reported fiscal deficit for April 2021 from £31.7bn to £29.1bn and the deficit for the twelve months ended 31 March 2021 from £300.3bn to £299.2bn.
For further information, read the public sector finances release for May 2021.