UK households have seen their outgoings surpass their income for the first time in nearly 30 years, our data have shown.

On average, each UK household spent or invested around £900 more than they received in income in 2017; amounting to almost £25 billion (or about one-fifth of the annual NHS budget in England).

Households’ outgoings last outstripped their income for a whole year in 1988, although the shortfall was much smaller at just £0.3 billion.

Even in the run-up to the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 – when 100% (and more) mortgages were offered to home buyers without a deposit – the country did not reach a point where the average household was a net borrower1.

Households have become net borrowers for the first time since 1988 Net lending (positive) or borrowing (negative) position of UK households, 1987 to 2017 Source: Office for National Statistics Download this chart Households have become net borrowers for the first time since 1988 Image .csv .xls

To fund this shortfall, households either have to borrow – at which point they could be living beyond their means – or dip into their savings.

And our data show they are borrowing more and saving less.

Households took out nearly £80 billion in loans last year, the most in a decade; but they deposited just £37 billion with UK banks, the least since 2011.

Loans and deposits diverged last year Households' accumulation of loans debt compared with deposits to UK banks, 1987 to 2017 Source: Office for National Statistics Download this chart Loans and deposits diverged last year Image .csv .xls

In total, households accumulated more debt (due mainly to loans) than assets (such as deposits, bonds, shares and pensions) in 2017 for the first time since records began in 1987. If this were to continue, households could risk lacking enough collateral to cover their debts.

We’re borrowing more and saving less partly because the interest rate – which dictates returns on money saved and the size of loan repayments – has been at or near a record low for the past decade.

The base rate set by the Bank of England is just 0.5%, compared with almost 15% in 1990, making financial conditions better for borrowers rather than savers.

Recently, the Bank of England has been warning the country to expect interest rate rises. Expectations of an interest rate rise can affect saving and borrowing behaviour. Borrowing could rise in the short-term as households seek to take advantage of smaller repayments, while saving could be put off amid the prospect of higher returns in future.