The professional services firm PwC has warned that UK public expenditure will continue to rise as a share of national income unless the government reduces the scope of the NHS in the future.
Spending is expected to increase as a percentage of gross domestic product from 43 per cent to 50 per cent by 2050 as an aging population pushes up healthcare spending.
This rise will be partly offset if the government succeeds with its “very challenging” target of increasing employment levels from 75 per cent to 80 per cent.
However, the PwC report found that future governments will have to adopt a much tougher stance on public spending in areas such as health care and child poverty.
Macroeconomics expert John Hawksworth, said the government had failed to predict the rising demands on the NHS.
