Boris Johnson’s government spent £46m on a “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign in October, but demonstrated little evidence it left the public better prepared, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has found.



The National Audit Office said ministers chose to run a £100m campaign – the most expensive of four options – to tell all UK businesses and individuals how they should prepare for leaving the EU. The campaign was launched as the 31 October deadline for leaving the EU approached.



But the evidence shows that the proportion of UK citizens who reported that they had looked or started to look for information, did not notably change, auditors said.

Auditors said the numbers of people looking for information about Brexit did not notably change as a result – ranging from 32% and 37% during the campaign, to 34% when it stopped, having spent just under half of the allotted money.

The campaign was halted three days before the UK was supposed to leave after the EU granted another extension.

The report increases concerns over the government’s spending leading up to the 31 October deadline set by the prime minister to leave the EU with or without a deal.

It comes as the government prepares a new “Ready to Trade” campaign on 1 February, the day after the UK is due to formally leave the EU.

Auditors found the Cabinet Office’s business case did not demonstrate increased impact for the proposed spending on the campaign compared with lower-cost alternatives. Auditors said it was “not clear” it left people “significantly better prepared”.

The Cabinet Office, which is in charge of Brexit preparations, said it had to launch a campaign in the run-up to the October deadline or risk “significant and unnecessary disruption”.



The department estimated the campaign reached 99.8% of the population, with every member of the public having the opportunity to see the range of billboard, print, TV and online adverts 55 times.



The campaign encouraged people and businesses to visit the government’s main gov.uk website to answer questions and receive advice on preparing for the UK’s exit from the bloc.



Among those specifically targeted were British citizens who were intending to travel to Europe in the days and weeks after Brexit and businesses that exported to the EU.



Gareth Davies, the NAO’s chief executive, said: “At short notice, the Cabinet Office successfully corralled multiple government departments to work together effectively and launched this complex campaign at great speed.



“However, it is not clear that the campaign resulted in the public being significantly better prepared.”



In response, the government said the watchdog had acknowledged the campaign increased public awareness of the action it needed to take to be ready to leave the EU.



“Not undertaking the campaign would have risked significant and unnecessary disruption to businesses and to people’s lives,” a spokesperson for the cabinet office said.

Responding to the report, the Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said it was “a colossal waste of taxpayers money” which was effectively part of the Conservative election campaign.

“This damning report shows what we knew all along: the Conservative government’s ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ campaign was an expensive propaganda stunt designed ahead of the election to help no one but Boris Johnson stay in Number 10.



“Once again the Tories are misusing their powers at the expense of our democracy. Given how poorly this campaign performed it should be referred to the Electoral Commission and be included as part of the Tory general election spend,” she said.



The UK will leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on Friday 31 January.