UK borrowed £18.3bn in August, overshooting forecast by £3.5bn

UK government borrowed £18.3bn in August 2026, the Office for National Statistics said September 22. That is £2.9bn more than August 2025 and £3.5bn above the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast, also overshooting City analysts' £15.6bn consensus. I see persistent forecast misses narrowing the chancellor's options for controlling debt.