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Public Sector Finances

Read the latest insights on the public finances, including the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on public finances in the UK and around the world. Find out more about tax and other income, public spending, public assets and public liabilities including debt, and what governments can do to develop an effective long-term fiscal strategy to ensure the sustainability of public finances.
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Insights

What are salary sacrificed pension contributions?
  • Article
  • 10 Dec 2025
ICAEW’s Tax Faculty explains the circumstances in which the cap on the national insurance contributions (NIC) exemption for salary sacrificed pension contributions, announced at the Autumn Budget 2025, are likely to apply.
Chart of the week: Budget 2025 debt blues
  • Article
  • 05 Dec 2025
Our chart this week illustrates how despite being a “tax-raising Budget”, the cumulative net effect of all the changes announced last week is to add £61bn to the public sector net debt forecast for 31 March 2030.
Budget expected to have negative impact on businesses, says ICAEW
  • Article
  • 04 Dec 2025
An ICAEW poll has found that close to three-quarters of respondents agreed the Budget would negatively impact their organisation.
Taxpayers reminded to ensure returns are correct and complete
  • Article
  • 03 Dec 2025
Following the publication of guidance earlier this year, HMRC is asking wealthy taxpayers to ensure that any legal interpretation applied in a tax return or other document sent to HMRC is "correct in both fact and law”.
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Highlights

Think big on election promises, urges think tank
  • Article
  • 17 Jun 2024
Big rows over small pledges risk missing wider uncertainties – including a potential £12bn black hole in public finances, Resolution Foundation warns.
Dark clouds over public finances as January falls short
  • Article
  • 24 Feb 2025
A smaller-than-anticipated boost from self assessment tax receipts added to pressures on the public finances ahead of the Spring Forecast next month.
ICAEW publishes in-depth Fiscal Insight on the Spring Budget
  • Article
  • 10 Apr 2024
Now that the dust has settled on last month’s Spring Budget, ICAEW has published a more detailed analysis on the implications for the public finances.
Budget must take immediate action on growth, says ICAEW
  • Article
  • 19 Sep 2024
The Chancellor must put incentivising growth at the heart of the Budget, says ICAEW, as it calls for long-term fiscal planning, a fundamental review of the tax system and investment in skills and green technologies.
Public sector finances disappoint ahead of Spring Statement
  • Article
  • 24 Mar 2025
The shortfall between receipts and public spending reached £132bn in the 11 months to February – and is potentially on track to hit £150bn by the end of the financial year.
UK’s long-term fiscal challenges debated with ICAEW
  • Article
  • 13 Mar 2025
ICAEW yesterday (12 March) convened a high-powered roundtable with the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, leading think-tanks and others to discuss the long-term fiscal challenges confronting the UK.
£80bn fall in net worth of local authorities since 2021
  • Article
  • 15 May 2024
Report by the National Institute of Economic Social Research points to rising interest rates driving a growing cost of debt at local authorities.
Strategic Finance Network Group
  • Article
  • 08 Apr 2024
The first face-to-face meeting of the Strategic Finance Network Group tackled the fascinating subject of ‘Influencing Upwards’ at an event hosted by ICAEW at Chartered Accountants Hall.

Reports and analysis

ICAEW analysis of WGA 2018/19
  • Report
  • 22 Jul 2020
ICAEW welcomes the publication of the Whole of Government Accounts for 2018-19, the UK Government’s annual financial report for the year ended 31 March 2019.
OBR Fiscal risks report 2019
  • Report
  • 24 Jul 2019
On 18 July 2019, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published its second fiscal risks report. The fiscal risks report provides an analysis of the economic and policy risks facing the public finances, including a ‘fiscal stress test’, setting out how the fiscal numbers might react to a no-deal Brexit.
Sustainable public finances and government accounting in Europe
  • Report
  • 19 Dec 2019
  • PDF (3,937kb)
A collection of independent essays and an ICAEW/PwC call for EU reform.
Global Financial Stability Synopsis
  • Report
  • 26 Mar 2018
  • PDF (350kb)
Synopsis of the Global Financial Stability and Public Debt.
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Public Sector Audit and Assurance

Improving the quality of public audit. Becoming a registered local auditor. Assurance for grant-paying bodies

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Public Sector Finances

Insights and analysis on the UK public finances, including the #icaewchartoftheweek.

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Public Sector Financial Management

Our Better Government Series of policy insights looks at how to improve finance leadership and financial management in the public sector.

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Public Sector Financial Reporting

Developments in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) affecting the public sector.

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Europe and International

Exploring public sector finances and financial management across the globe.

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Books seen from above
Learning and Development

How we can help professionals, in the public sector and beyond, develop their skills and advance their careers.

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Further resources

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Public Sector webinars and recordings

Specialist resources and events for the public sector

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Diverse group of people
Public Sector Community

Free to join and open to non-ICAEW members

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Public Sector Community Newsletters

Latest news from the Public Sector Community

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