On Borrowed Time: Finance and the UK's current account deficit

Article

The UK’s longstanding current account deficit indicates that the UK economy has a fundamental problem of international competitiveness.

While in the past we have been able to support this through international borrowing, this is not sustainable in the long-term, particularly if Brexit leads to a weakening of the economy and its perceived attractiveness to overseas lenders and investors.

This discussion paper sets out four key propositions on the drivers of our current account imbalance, the ways in which it makes our economy vulnerable and hampers overall economic performance, and the actions needed to reduce it.


Related items

  1. Women in Scotland: the gendered impact of care on financial stability and well-being

    Women in Scotland are far likelier than men to take on childcare and other caring responsibilities, which puts them at an economic disadvantage. 
  2. One person handing a blue UK passport to another

    Citizenship: A race to the bottom?

    The ability to move from temporary immigration status to settlement, and ultimately to citizenship, is the cornerstone of a fair and functional immigration system.

  3. Reflections on International Women's Day 2025

    In a world that currently seems increasingly dominated by ‘strong man’ politics and macho posturing, this International Women’s Day it seems more important than ever to take stock of where we are on the representation of women in politics.