UK Gilt Crisis: The Cost of Borrowing Explodes
May 14, 2026
30-YR GILT YIELD
5.47%
Jan 2025 peak — highest since 1998
UK DEBT-TO-GDP
101%
Crossed 100% threshold in 2024
MINI-BUDGET SPIKE
5.12%
Sep 2022 Truss crisis peak
BOE EMERGENCY BUY
£65B
Gilt purchases to stabilise market, Oct 2022
CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT
-3.1%
% of GDP — requires sustained capital inflows
Annual average 30-year gilt yield (1990–2024), plus Jan 2025 intraday peak of 5.47% — the highest since 1998. Background shading reflects governing party. Hover over the chart to explore data points and crisis events.
Conservative
Labour
Key Questions
Data sources: Bank of England · UK Debt Management Office · IMF World Economic Outlook · OECD
Data sources
UK Government Gilt Yields (historical series)· Bank of England Statistical Interactive DatabaseUK Public Sector Finances· Office for National Statistics (ONS)UK Debt Management Report· UK Debt Management OfficeWorld Economic Outlook Database — General Government Debt· International Monetary Fund (IMF)Long-term interest rates (sovereign bond yields)· OECD DataUK Balance of Payments, Current Account· Office for National Statistics (ONS)