UK Public Finances Show Record Surplus of $40.9 Billion in January

The boost has been put down to strong income tax and capital gains tax revenue, and lower debt interest payments.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (C) poses with the red Budget Box as she leaves 11 Downing Street to present the government's annual budget to Parliament in London on Nov. 26, 2025. Leon Neal/Getty Images

The UK recorded a record monthly surplus of 30.4 billion pounds (about $40.9 billion) in January, initial government estimates show on Feb. 20.

The amount exceeded the 24.1 billion pounds ($32.5 billion) expected by the government’s Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and was the highest surplus since records began in 1993.