Leaping debt costs add to UK government borrowing in May

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: British five pound banknotes are seen in this picture illustration taken November 14, 2017. REUTERS/ Benoit Tessier/Illustration

LONDON (Reuters) – British government borrowing in May, the second month of the financial year, totalled 13.99 billion pounds ($17.15 billion), the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.

Economists polled by Reuters had a median forecast of 12.0 billion pounds for this measure, which excludes public-sector banks.

($1 = 0.8156 pounds)