Category Archive: Economic and fiscal outlook

Budget extends rescue measures, stokes economic recovery, and begins fiscal repair job

The economy is set to rebound thanks to rapid vaccine rollout, getting back to its pre-pandemic peak by the middle of next year. Extending rescue measures takes support for households, businesses, and public services to £344 billion. Generous tax incentives for business investment stoke the recovery over the next two years. Then medium-term tax rises…

Policy costings document March 2021

March 2021 All policy costings presented to the Office for Budget Responsibility at Budget 2021 were scrutinised and were certified as reasonable, central estimates were included in our forecasts. The Government’s Budget 2021 policy costings document briefly describes the methodologies underpinning these costings. In our March 2021 Economic and fiscal outlook we have published an…

Letter and envelope graphic

Monthly profiling update published 22 December

On 22 December alongside the monthly public sector finances commentary, we will publish an update of our monthly profiles consistent with our November 2020 forecast to provide a reference point against which to monitor incoming data. The monthly profiles will be published on the coronavirus analysis page.

New forecasts due on 3 March 2021

Budget 2021 date announced

The Chancellor has announced that the Budget 2021 will take place on Wednesday 3 March. Our latest outlook for the economy and public finances will be released on the same day.

Forecast at a glance (including GDP growth, unemployment rate and borrowing stats)

Coronavirus pushes the budget deficit to almost £400 billion

Coronavirus has caused our economy to shrink 11 per cent this year – the largest drop in over 300 years. But the economy recovers its pre-virus level by the end of 2022. Support for public services, households and businesses costs £280 billion this year, pushing the deficit to £394 billion (19 per cent of GDP,…

Real GDP: central forecast and alternative scenarios

Overview of the November 2020 Economic and fiscal outlook

1.1 The coronavirus pandemic has delivered the largest peacetime shock to the global economy on record. It has required the imposition of severe restrictions on economic and social life; driven unprecedented falls in national income; fuelled rises in public deficits and debt surpassed only in wartime; and created considerable uncertainty about the future. The UK…

Image of calendar with text 'New forecasts due on 25 November'

New forecasts due on 25 November

We will publish our latest set of forecasts and scenarios for the economy and public finances alongside the Chancellor’s Spending Review on Wednesday 25 November. Our most recent estimate of public sector net borrowing for 2020-21 is £372.2 billion. This estimate was published in August and combines our Fiscal sustainability report central scenario and the…

Policy costings document November 2020

November 2020 All policy costings presented to the Office for Budget Responsibility at the Spending Review 2020 were scrutinised and were certified as reasonable, central estimates were included in our forecasts. The Government’s Spending Review policy costings document briefly describes the methodologies underpinning these costings. In our November 2020 Economic and fiscal outlook we have…

Policy costings document March 2020

March 2020 All policy costings presented to the Office for Budget Responsibility at Budget 2020 were scrutinised and were certified as reasonable, central estimates were included in our forecasts. The Government’s Budget 2020 policy costings document briefly describes the methodologies underpinning these costings. In our March 2020 Economic and fiscal outlook we have published an…