Dataset(s): Public sector finances tables 1 to 10: Appendix A

We have corrected an error in our estimates of Public sector net borrowing in the financial year ending (FYE) 2021 in Table 8. The previous version contained incorrect data for the FYE 2021 for Local Government. The incorrect amount for Local Government net borrowing was a surplus of £0.9 billion. It should have been a surplus of £2.4 billion. Public sector net borrowing (excluding Public Sector Banks) was therefore overstated by £1.5 billion (or 0.5%) in this period: PSNB ex was previously reported as £314.3 billion, but has now been corrected to £312.8 billion. No other time periods were affected. The public sector data for the FYE 2021 presented in Table 14 have also been corrected. In addition, the amounts for the FYE 2021 in Figure 1, Figure 5 and Figure 6 have been corrected. No other time periods were affected. This happened because of a data processing error. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Following publication on 21 September 2021, an error has been found in the Public Sector Finances (PSF): August 2021 release. The error affects data for the period April 2020 to August 2021 inclusive. Public Sector Net Borrowing (excluding Public Sector Banks – PSNB ex) was overstated by £4.6 billion in the financial year ending March 2021 and £2.5 billion in the financial year-to-August 2021. PSNB is now estimated to have been £320.5 billion in the financial year ending March 2021 and £91.3 billion in the financial year-to-August 2021. This error was the result of provisional data for the Public Sector Funded Pension Schemes being used in the estimation of the published dataset. In September 2021, we changed the discount rate used for future pension liabilities from 5% to 4%, taking on a change in international statistical standards. However, in the provisional dataset, the data for April 2020 onwards for these public sector schemes was estimated using the 5% discount rate. In the corrected version, this had been updated, consistent with the 4% rate. Correcting this error has affected Public Sector Funded Pension Schemes’ net borrowing and so Public Sector Net Borrowing. There has been no impact on net cash requirement or net debt as a result of this correction. ONS apologises for any inconvenience caused by this error.

We have identified two issues with the Public Sector Finances release which was originally published on 22 October 2019. These issues have been corrected in this edition. The main issue affected local government current expenditure and local government net borrowing in the financial year to date, as well as the equivalent general government and public sector measures; including public sector net borrowing. Public sector net borrowing (excluding public sector banks – PSNBex) was overstated by £1.3 billion in the financial year to date (April to September 2019); for September 2019 alone it was overstated by £0.2 billion. A second, smaller issue involved the handling of public sector pensions data. This affected the current budget deficit (including public sector banks) between the financial year ending (FYE) March 1998 and FYE March 2008, but had no impact on the current budget deficit (excluding public sector banks). The size of the correction for this issue is negligible in each year. Although GDP is not affected by this error, there will be some small impact on the Sector and Financial Accounts. The corrected data will be taken on in the next release, which is scheduled for December 2019. The ONS apologises for this error and for any inconvenience.

An error has been identified in the recording of public sector equity liabilities, reported in tables PSNFL1 to PSNFL3 as components of public sector net financial liabilities excluding public sector banks (PSNFL ex). This error affects data for the first and second quarters of 2018 (January to March and April to June), which means data for the financial year ending March 2018 (April 2017 to March 2018) are also impacted. The correction of the equities data has caused the total for PSNFL ex to revise downwards from £1,453.4 billion, as reported on 21 September 2018, to £1,437.5 billion for the financial year ending March 2018. Data for earlier quarters are not impacted. The error correction not only impacts PSNFL ex and the component equity liabilities but also impacts a number of other data series reported in the PSNFL tables (ONS identifiers CPNO, CPNG, CPNF, CPNE, CPPK and CPND). The error correction has no impact on other tables or text within the public sector finances release of 21 September 2018.

We have identified an error in the labelling of table PSA6A which has now been updated. This error has no impact to the statistics presented within this table.

26 September 2017: An error occurred in our estimation of local government net borrowing for the period January 2016 to June 2017, which did not include updated estimates of intermediate consumption. We have corrected this error, which also feeds through into the overall public sector borrowing. The effect is of the correction is to reduce borrowing by £89m in 2015/16, by £568m in 2016/17 and by £142m in 2017 year-to-date. We have also identified a small error in the reporting of central government net investment components between April 2013 and July 2017. The error was limited to Table PSA6F and correcting it has had no impact on either central government net investment or net borrowing. You can see all previous versions of these data on the previous versions page. ONS apologises for any inconvenience.

A minor error was identified in table PSA9 in the Public Sector Finances released at 09:30am on 21st October 2016. A processing error led to the level of gilts held by the Bank of England Asset Purchase Facility Fund (APF) being overstated by £11.0 billion. Gilts held by the APF which reached maturity in September 2016 were not recorded as redeemed leading to the assets of the APF being overstated and, correspondingly, public sector net debt understated. As a result of correcting this error, public sector net debt at the end of September 2016 (Series HF6W) has increased by £11.3 billion or 0.6 percentage points of GDP (Series HF6X). Due to the removal of interest payments to the APF related to these gilts, the public sector net borrowing (Series -J5II) in September 2016 has increased by £18 million and public sector net cash requirement (Series JW38) in September 2016 has increased by £221 million. Tables PSA1, 2, 3, 4, 7A, 8D, 9 and REC1 have been updated to reflect the corrected dataset. We apologise for any inconvenience.

A minor error was identified in table PSA6E in the Public Sector Finances released at 09:30am on 21st September 2016. A processing error led to series NMDL being published with the incorrect signage. Series NMDL has now been corrected leading to revisions to tables PSA6C (NMDL) and PSA6E (series MHA8, MF6R, MF6S and MF6U which are derived from NMDL). Measures of net borrowing, net cash requirement and net debt are unaffected by these changes. We apologise for any inconvenience.

A minor error was identified in table REC2 in the Public Sector Finances released at 09:30am on 21st September 2016. A processing error led to the publication of incorrect data for 2015/16 for series ANRS and associated series ANRV, ANSI, ANSL, ANSV, ANSY, JW34 and JW37 which are derived from ANRS. These series have now been corrected leading to revisions to tables REC1, PSA10 and Public Sector Finances borrowing by sub-sector, in 2015/16. Measures of net borrowing, net cash requirement and net debt are unaffected by these changes. We apologise for any inconvenience.

A minor error was identified in tables REC1 and REC2, in the Public Sector Finances released at 09:30am on 21st September 2016. A processing error led to the publication of incorrect data for 2014 for series ANRS and associated series ANRV, JW34 and JW38 which are derived from ANRS. These series have now been corrected. We apologise for any inconvenience.