Public donations help pay off £900,000 of Britain’s debt

Donations to the public purse have already reached £900,000 this financial year, as anonymous people help pay off Britain’s debt.

A total of 11 contributions, ranging from 78p to £520,000, have come in to the nation’s coffers since April, making up the highest amount given since £1.08m was donated in 2010.

The £898,539.80 total so far will barely make a dent in the country’s debt however, which Chancellor George Osborne revealed last week had grown to £1.2 trillion.

This year’s largest single donation made headlines after the Conservative and Lib Dem parties pocketed cash meant for the Treasury which was left to “the government of the day” in former nurse Joan Edwards’ will. The parties returned the £520,000 after an outcry, claiming the woman’s solicitor had made a mistake in directing the funds.

Those wanting to donate to the Treasury may find it difficult as there are no obvious routes to do so. However, a Treasury spokesman said the simplest way was to “just drop us an email”.

• Try our free newsletter
• Follow me @LondonlovesBiz and @RobynVinter