Brexit divorce bill

The UK government has said it’s willing to pay a Brexit “divorce bill” worth between 24bn and 65bn euros. This is 20bn euros more than the prime minister offered in September. The EU claimed the earlier offer wasn’t enough but have apparently welcomed the increase. British officials think that the EU has exaggerated their demands and say they will fight hard to reduce the bill.

The sums included in this divorce bill, summed up by The Guardian, are as follows:
– British contributions to the EU budget for 2019 and 2020, payments worth €22bn, which were agreed by David Cameron when he negotiated the EU seven-year funding programme in 2013
– The largest single item is the UK’s share of the EU’s unpaid bills, worth a theoretical €39bn. These are projects the EU has agreed to fund, but not paid for.
– Pensions for EU officials, with a total maximum liability to the UK estimated at €10bn
– Loan guarantees to Greece and Ukraine
– Money promised to Syrian refugees in Turkey
– Schemes aimed at stopping migration from Africa

The final number is unlikely to be agreed until the 11th hour of Brexit divorce negotiations in October 2018.