ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

United Kingdom government austerity programme

Okay kiddo, so you know how sometimes we have to save money at home because we don't have enough? Well, the UK government is kind of in the same boat. They have to make sure they have enough money to pay for everything they need, like schools, hospitals, and police officers.

But sometimes, the government spends too much money, and they need to save money to make sure they still have enough. That's where the austerity programme comes in. It's basically a plan the government has to make sure they spend less money and save more.

This means that they might have to cut spending on some things, like making fewer new buildings. They might also decide to raise taxes, which is like asking everyone to give a little more money to help out. They might also decide to limit how much money people can get from things like welfare, which is money that helps people who don't have much.

The idea is that if they do all of this, they'll be able to save enough money to pay for everything they need without having to borrow too much. It can be hard for some people, especially those who rely on welfare, but it's important so the government can make sure they have enough money for important things.