UK government borrowing hits record in February amid energy bills support

Deficit increases despite higher tax receipts and lower interest payments

UK government borrowing rose last month to the highest February deficit on record, largely because of spending on support schemes to help households and businesses with spiralling energy bills.

The government borrowed 16.7bn in February, 9.7bn more than a year earlier and the highest February borrowing since monthly records began 30 years ago, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.