Britain's debt mountain could be a staggering £12 trillion, far bigger than initially thought, according to analysis by campaigners. It was reported this week that the UK's public sector debt had topped £3 trillion for the first time as the Government borrowed billions more to pay for welfare spending and higher interest payments. As a result, the group said the true size of the national debt was in fact £11.7 trillion, equivalent to £168,184 for every person in the UK. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TPA, said: 'Public sector debt is out of control but adding inevitable bills, like unfunded pension commitments, reveals the true extent of the debt we are passing down to our children and grandchildren. Bond markets are also uneasy that Mr Burnham may abandon fiscal discipline to fund his policy goals.