Net borrowing by the U.K. public sector was £7.8 billion in April, down £1.6 billion from a year earlier and the lowest for the month since 2008.
The budget deficit for the financial year ended in March was revised down by £2.1 billion, to £40.5 billion, which was £5.7 billion less than in the previous financial year and £4.7 billion below the Office for Budget Responsibility's expectations, the Office for National Statistics said.
Out of the total annual deficit, £41.8 billion was related to capital spending. Current spending was in surplus by £1.3 billion, the first annual surplus since 2002.
Public-sector net debt increased by £56.8 billion, to £1.777 trillion, equivalent to 85.1% of GDP, at the end of April.
The data did not include state-owned banks.
