Rate of public borrowing has further risen by £14.8 billion
Public borrowing ballooned by a further £14.8 billion in September, official figures have shown.
The latest surge takes net borrowing to £77.3 billion for the six months of the financial year so far - the highest half-yearly figure since Office for National Statistics (ONS) records began in 1946.
The Treasury expects borrowing to reach a record £175 billion for the year as a whole as the public finances buckle under the impact of recession.
While September's borrowing is slightly lower than the £15.3 billion expected by the City, it is almost double the £8.7 billion seen a year earlier.
The Government also shelled out £5.9 billion in interest payments on its mounting debt pile - 43% above the same month last year and the highest monthly payout on record, according to the ONS.
The nation's net debt now stands at £824.8 billion, representing 59% of the UK's entire economic output - another new record.
The figures are likely to intensify the political row over the public finances which saw the main parties clash fiercely during the conference season.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne has outlined plans to raise the retirement age and a pay freeze for 80% of the public sector, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown also announced plans for £16 billion in asset sales last week.
The figures showed spending running well ahead of tax revenues with total current spending of £45.7 billion over the month compared with just £35.4 billion in receipts.
The recession has hit businesses while rising dole queues have also dented the tax take and forced more Government spending on unemployment benefits.
