UK government borrowing rises to £20.2 billion as pressure mounts on Rachel Reeves

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visit a Lidl supermarket in Tottenham Court Road - (AFP/Getty)

UK government borrowing surged to £20.2 billion in April, exceeding forecasts and raising concerns about Chancellor Rachel Reeves's ability to meet her fiscal targets.

This marks the fourth-highest April borrowing figure on record, a £1 billion increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).