The Office for National Statistics report showed:

• Borrowing (public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks) in January 2019 was in surplus by £14.9 billion, a £5.6 billion greater surplus than in January 2018; this was the largest January surplus on record (records began in 1993).

• Borrowing in the current financial year-to-date (April 2018 to January 2019) (YTD) was £21.2 billion, £18.5 billion less than in the same period last year; the lowest YTD for 17 years (since 2001).

• Borrowing in the financial year ending (FYE) March 2018 was £41.9 billion, £3.0 billion less than in FYE March 2017; the lowest financial year for 11 years (since FYE 2007).

• Debt (public sector net debt excluding public sector banks) at the end of January 2019 was £1,782.1 billion (or 82.6% of gross domestic product (GDP)); an increase of £40.5 billion (or a decrease of 0.8 percentage points of GDP) on January 2018.

• Debt at the end of January 2019 excluding Bank of England (mainly quantitative easing) was £1,596.7 billion (or 74.0% of GDP); an increase of £26.9 billion (or a decrease of 1.2 percentage points of GDP) on January 2018.