Rise in UK household bills pushes spending up to 13-year high

Average weekly outlay up 18 to 572.60 with extra spending paid for by borrowing or savings

Spending by UK households has surged to a 13-year high as increases in transport and housing costs and higher food bills took their toll, according to the latest official snapshot of family spending.

Average total spending rose to 572.60 a week in the year ending March 2018, which is the highest since 2005 once inflation is taken into account, said the Office for National Statistics.