Government borrowing falls in April

Government borrowing in April fell from a year earlier but still remains higher than pre-Covid levels.

Borrowing - the difference between spending and tax income - was £18.6bn, down £5.6bn from a year earlier.

However, it was the fourth-highest April borrowing since monthly records began, and was £7.9bn higher than in April 2019, before the pandemic.

Borrowing surged during the pandemic as the government spent billions to support the economy.