UK National Debt! £500 Million Per day
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UK National Debt
Rising By More Than £500 Million Per Day!
The UK national debt is the total quantity of money borrowed by the UK Government at any time, through the issue of securities by the British Treasury and other government agencies. For the first time ever, the UK’s national debt is rising by more than £500 million per day — over £5,900 every second.
While headlines point to a drop in December borrowing, the wider picture tells a different story. Debt at the end of April 2025 was equivalent to 95.5 % of the annual value of everything produced in the UK economy, 0.7 percentage points higher than a year earlier.
The UK national debt currently stands at £1.6 trillion and is growing at a rate of £5,170 per second! The UK national debt is the total quantity of money borrowed by the UK Government at any time, through the issue of securities by the British Treasury and other government agencies.View realtime calculator.
Even as the living standards of average households fall, the nation’s debt continues to rise at an astronomical rate. Our debt clock shows that more than £500 million is added to the debt every single day, or £24 billion since Christmas.
Who Owns UK Debt?
Most UK government debt (gilts) is owned by domestic and international private financial institutions (pension funds, banks, insurers) and, significantly, the Bank of England (with Quantitive Easing), overseas investors holding a large portion, though data can shift, reflecting ownership by UK pension funds, banks, and foreign entities like Japanese banks or US funds. Roughly a third is owed to ourselves (BoE/government), another third to foreign investors, and the rest to UK private sector investors.
Quantitative Easing (QE): This is a monetary policy where central banks create new money to purchase government bonds and other financial assets from commercial banks. This increases the money supply, lowers long-term interest rates, and encourages lending and investment when traditional interest rate cuts are ineffective.
Key Owners Of UK Debt (Gilts):
UK Private Sector: Pension funds, insurance companies, banks, investment trusts, and individuals own a significant chunk, often around 30-40%.
Bank of England (BoE): Holds a large amount acquired through QE programs, making up a substantial portion (around 25-30%).
Overseas Investors: Foreign entities, including banks and investment funds from countries like Japan or the US, own about 28-30%.
UK Government (Internal Holdings): A portion is technically owed to government bodies, including the Debt Management Office (DMO) and the National Savings and Investments (NS&I).
How It Works
The UK borrows by selling gilts (government bonds). These are bought by large investors, who lend money to the government in exchange for regular interest payments and their principal back at maturity.
Recent Trends
While pension funds were once dominant, the Bank of England’s significant purchases during QE increased its share, alongside growing foreign holdings, making the debt ownership complex and shared between domestic private investors, the central bank, and international markets.