Debt and deficit

Fact checks related to policies of austerity and public and national debt

15 March 2018

Economy introductions: the size of the government deficit

Everything you need to know about the UK's budget deficit.

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Economy introductions: the size of the government deficit
18 October 2017

UK economy; what was the OECD's verdict?

The UK economy grew at 0.3% in the last quarter, this is the slowest growth rate in the EU.

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UK economy; what was the OECD's verdict?
18 October 2017

Young people in record levels of debt?

It’s not clear this is the case looking at the levels of debt of all young people, including those not at university.

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Young people in record levels of debt?
29 September 2017

Is the government getting the deficit down?

The deficit has been coming down, but not as rapidly as the Coalition and the Conservatives had said in 2010 and 2015.

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Is the government getting the deficit down?
23 June 2017

The UK public debt is rising

The deficit is falling and debt is still rising.

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The UK public debt is rising
16 May 2017

Labour Manifesto: Young people in debt

We've factchecked claims from Jeremy Corbyn's speech at the Labour party manifesto launch.

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Labour Manifesto: Young people in debt
16 May 2017

Labour and Conservative records on the national debt

The rise in government debt from 1997 to the present day.

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Labour and Conservative records on the national debt
12 May 2017

Interest payments on the national debt

About 5% of government spending goes on interest payments, although this is below the historic average.

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Interest payments on the national debt
19 April 2017

Is the deficit down by two thirds?

Between 2009/10 and 2015/16 public sector net borrowing decreased from 9.9% of GDP to 3.8%, or by around two thirds.

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Is the deficit down by two thirds?
7 April 2017

Will a hard Brexit cost £100 billion?

The most recent figures can’t tell us how much of an impact Brexit has had on the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast for public sector debt.

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Will a hard Brexit cost £100 billion?

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