UK central government debt interest payable was £8.8 billion in August 2026 — the highest August figure since monthly records began.

That’s according to latest figures from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS said UK government debt remained just below £3 trillion at the end of August 2026, although “as a share of the economy it was lower than a year earlier.”

UK government borrowing was £18.3 billion for the month of August 2026 — £2.9 billion (19%) more than in August 2025 and £3.5 billion above the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast.

UK government borrowing was £77.3 billion in the first five months of the financial year to August 2026 — £2.2 billion (2.7%) less than in the same period last year but £8.1 billion above the OBR forecast.

The ONS said UK public sector net debt — the amount owed to the UK private sector and overseas, less liquid assets — was provisionally estimated at £2,985.5 billion at the end of August 2026, £78.5 billion more than a year earlier.

UK debt at the end of August 2026 was equivalent to 93.8% of GDP, 1.3 percentage points lower than a year earlier but still at levels last seen in the early 1960s.

“The central government current budget, which represents the amount of borrowing required to fund its day-to-day activities, was £8.0 billion in August 2026, £0.8 billion more than in August 2025,” said the ONS.

“The August 2026 deficit reflects the difference between £89.8 billion in current receipts and £93.9 billion in current expenditure, after accounting for £3.9 billion in depreciation …

“The central government current budget deficit was £44.5 billion in the FY to August 2026. This was £2.2 billion less than in the FY to August 2025 but £3.7 billion above the OBR forecast.

“The deficit for the FY to August 2026 reflects the gap between £460.7 billion in current receipts and £485.9 billion in current spending, after accounting for £19.3 billion of depreciation …”