Due to the extensive economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom's Government created a range of measures to help support businesses survive the loss in revenues and cashflow. The help smaller businesses (SMEs), the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) was set up. The scheme operates through the British Business Bank via more than ** accredited lenders including high street banks, challenger banks, asset based lenders and smaller specialist local lenders. These lenders can then provide up to ************ British pounds (GBP) in the form of term loans, overdraft, invoice finance and asset finance.

Between the **** of May, 2020 and the **** of May, 2021, the cumulative value of lending through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) reached approximately ***** billion British pounds with more than ******* facilities approved.

Government debt in the United Kingdom reached over 2.8 trillion British pounds in 2024/25, compared with 2.69 trillion pounds in the previous financial year. Although debt has been increasing throughout this period, there is a noticeable jump between 2019/20, and 2020/21, when debt increased from 1.82 trillion pounds, to 2.15 trillion. The UK's government debt was the equivalent of 93.5 percent of GDP in 2024/25, and is expected to increase slightly in coming years, and not start falling until the end of this decade. Public finances in a tight spot With government debt approaching 100 percent of GDP, the UK finds itself in a tricky fiscal situation. If the UK can't reduce it's spending, or increase its revenue, the government will have to continue borrowing large amounts, increasing the debt further. Adding to the problem, is the fact that financing this debt has got steadily more expensive recently, with the government currently spending more on debt interest than it does on defence, transport, and public order and safety. Can the UK grow out its debt? After the Second World War, when the national debt reached over 250 percent of GDP, the UK managed to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, due to the economy growing faster than its debt over a long period of time. This is certainly the hope of the current Labour government, who are seeking to avoid significant tax and spending adjustments by strengthening the economy. Overdue investments in infrastructure and increased capital spending may eventually achieve this goal, but the government's declining popularity suggests they may not be in power by the time these policies might eventually bear fruit.

Public sector net debt amounted to 93.5 percent of gross domestic product in the United Kingdom during the 2024/25 financial year. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, UK government debt has reached levels not seen since the early 1960s, due to a significant increase in borrowing in 2020/21. After peaking at 251.7 percent shortly after the end of the Second World War, government debt in the UK gradually fell, before a sharp increase in the late 2000s at the time of the global financial crisis. Debt not expected to start falling until 2029/30 In 2024/25, the UK's government expenditure was approximately 1.28 trillion pounds, around 44 percent of GDP. This spending was financed by 1.14 trillion pounds of revenue raised, and almost 150 billion pounds of borrowing. Although the UK government can continue to borrow money to finance its spending, the amount spent on debt interest has increased significantly in recent years. Current forecasts suggest that while the debt is eventually expected to start declining, this is based on falling government deficits in the next five years. Government facing hard choices Hitting fiscal targets, such as reducing the national debt, will require a careful balancing of the books from the current government, and the possibility for either spending cuts or tax rises. Although Labour ruled out raising the main government tax sources, Income Tax, National Insurance, and VAT, at the 2024 election, they did raise National Insurance for employers (rather than employees) and also cut Winter Fuel allowances for large numbers of pensioners. Less than a year after implementing cuts to Winter Fuel, the government performed a U-Turn on the issue, and also held back on more significant cuts to welfare.

The government of the United Kingdom borrowed approximately 149.7 billion British pounds in the 2024/25 financial year. In 2020/21, government borrowing was almost 311 billion pounds, due to increased financial support to public services during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with reduced revenue due to the lockdowns.

With the global impact of the 2020 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), there has been a surge in public debt and uncertainty in the global economy. As the likelihood of a recession and a higher debt for Canada increases, the utility of a forecasting model is a realistic choice to both predict and determine optimal fiscal decisions for the government. This paper seeks to ratify existing historical trends in three developed economies (Canada, Japan, and the U.K.) as well as offer a time series forecast for the proceeding five years’ debt to GDP ratio. As per the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a limit of 60% in debt to GDP ratio was employed to measure how far off these three countries were from a considerably recoverable amount of debt. The time series forecast that the U.K. will drop to 65.436% by 2025, however, Japan and Canada will continue to accumulate debt to 254.3851% and 80.107% respectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic has represented the most significant public health challenge in a century, costing tens of thousands of people in the UK their lives. The UK and devolved governments have intervened in people’s personal lives to a degree unprecedented in peace time. The UK government has also presided over a dramatic increase in public spending and borrowing both to ensure that vital public services, including the health service, can cope with the disease and to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the labour market and the economy more generally.

Previous research on pandemics, infectious disease and recession suggests that COVID-19 could have a significant impact on the public’s public policy preferences - and thus the environment in which policymakers will have to address the pandemic’s consequences. Unsurprisingly, there has been considerable speculation about the impact that this dramatic shock to people’s lives and livelihoods will have on attitudes, behaviour and public policy.

This project looks at whether key political attitudes and values have changed following the pandemic. In particular, it assesses whether or not the experience has changed attitudes towards: (i) the role of government in managing the economy, in providing welfare and in addressing inequality, (ii) the relative importance of individual civil liberties versus adherence to collective social codes, and (iii) the globalisation process, including most notably immigration.

United Kingdom Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): Applications data was reported at 122,885.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 121,669.000 Unit for 09 Aug 2020. United Kingdom Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): Applications data is updated weekly, averaging 104,569.000 Unit from May 2020 (Median) to 16 Aug 2020, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 122,885.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2020 and a record low of 64,531.000 Unit in 10 May 2020. United Kingdom Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): Applications data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by HM Treasury. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.KB043: Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

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United Kingdom Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS): Applications data was reported at 1,430,017.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,404,726.000 Unit for 09 Aug 2020. United Kingdom Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS): Applications data is updated weekly, averaging 1,186,006.000 Unit from May 2020 (Median) to 16 Aug 2020, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,430,017.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2020 and a record low of 363,646.000 Unit in 10 May 2020. United Kingdom Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS): Applications data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by HM Treasury. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.KB043: Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

英国 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): Applications在2020-08-16达122,885.000 单位，相较于2020-08-09的121,669.000 单位有所增长。英国 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): Applications数据按每周更新，2020-05-10至2020-08-16期间平均值为104,569.000 单位，共15份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于2020-08-16，达122,885.000 单位，而历史最低值则出现于2020-05-10，为64,531.000 单位。CEIC提供的英国 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS): Applications数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于HM Treasury，数据归类于Global Database的英国 – Table UK.KB043: Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme。

In response to the extensive economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom's government created a range of measures to help support businesses survive the loss in revenues and cashflow. To help businesses, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) was set up. The scheme, which is a part of a wider package of government support for UK businesses and employees allows lenders to provide a six-year term loan from ************ British pounds up to ** percent of a business' turnover. The maximum loan amount is currently fifty thousand British pounds.

Between ************ and ************, nearly **** million businesses have been approved for finance with the cumulative value of lending through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) amounting to approximately **** billion British pounds.

United Kingdom BBLS: Approved Facilities data was reported at 1,174,854.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,157,296.000 Unit for 09 Aug 2020. United Kingdom BBLS: Approved Facilities data is updated weekly, averaging 967,321.000 Unit from May 2020 (Median) to 16 Aug 2020, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,174,854.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2020 and a record low of 268,173.000 Unit in 10 May 2020. United Kingdom BBLS: Approved Facilities data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by HM Treasury. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.KB043: Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Monthly loan figures (number of items issued) by branch library for April 2008 to present. Additional information An issue is any item issued from the library catalogue Blank means no data available In 2020, all libraries closed from 19 March included due to the coronavirus outbreak. The re-opening of our libraries remained inline with government restrictions from July 2020 and responsive to local need, with many variations during the months of the Covid-19 pandemic. All Newcastle Libraries began to re-open from 12th April 2021.

With government schemes introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic soon ending, IBISWorld assesses how likely it is that businesses and consumers will turn to P2P lending for finance.

By the end of the UK's job retention scheme, which ran from April 2020, to September 2021, approximately **** million jobs, from *** million different employers, were furloughed in the United Kingdom. The day with the most jobs furloughed at once was May 8, 2020, when **** million jobs were on the job retention scheme. The scheme, introduced in response to the economic damage caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, covered ** percent of an employees' usual monthly wage, up to ***** British pounds a month. How much did the scheme cost? The UK government spent approximately ** billion British pounds on the job retention scheme. Due to spending commitments such as this, as well as depressed revenue sources, UK government finances took a severe hit in the 2020/21 financial year. Government borrowing was approximately ***** billion pounds in 2020/21, while government debt as a share of GDP shot up from around ** percent in 2018/19 to almost ** percent by 2020/21. Getting this debt down has proven difficult in subsequent financial years, with high inflation, war in Ukraine, and the Cost of Living Crisis putting even more pressure on public finances. Popular scheme not enough to save Sunak Former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, held the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer throughout the duration of the furlough scheme. While this scheme and Sunak himself were popular for much of that time, Sunak saw his popularity tumble. Shortly after succeeding Liz Truss as Prime Minister in October 2021, Sunak was seen by ** percent of people as being the best person for his job, but by May 2024, just before he announced the 2024 General Election, just ** percent of people thought he made the best Prime Minister. Sunak and the Conservatives went on to suffer a historic loss at this election, winning just *** seats, compared with the *** won in the 2019 General Election.

In response to the extensive economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom's Government created a range of measures to help support businesses survive the loss in revenues and cashflow. To help mid-sized and larger enterprises with a group turnover of more than ** million British pounds, the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) was set up.

The scheme operates through the British Business Bank via accredited lenders, which can provide up to *** million British pounds in finance. These lenders can then provide finance in the form of term loans, revolving credit facilities (overdrafts), invoice finance and asset finance. For term loans and revolving credit facilities, finance that could be offered was increased from ** million GBP after an announcement by HM Treasury on the **** of May 2020.

Between the **** of May, 2020 and the **** of May, 2021, the cumulative value of approved facilities through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) in the United Kingdom (UK) had amounted to **** billion British pounds across more than *** approved facilities.

United Kingdom CBILS: Large Businesses: Approved Facilities: Value data was reported at 3.500 GBP bn in 16 Aug 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.400 GBP bn for 09 Aug 2020. United Kingdom CBILS: Large Businesses: Approved Facilities: Value data is updated weekly, averaging 2.330 GBP bn from May 2020 (Median) to 16 Aug 2020, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.500 GBP bn in 16 Aug 2020 and a record low of 0.360 GBP bn in 10 May 2020. United Kingdom CBILS: Large Businesses: Approved Facilities: Value data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by HM Treasury. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.KB043: Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.