Cost of EU is half the £350m per week claim

Britain’s statistics agency has said the UK’S contribution to European Union coffers was around half the amount some Brexit campaigners claimed during last year’s referendum.

The Office for National Statistics said the net transfer to the EU last year was £9.4 billion or around £180 million per week.

The Vote Leave campaign battle bus famously carried the slogan that Brexit would save the UK £350m a week to put towards the NHS, a figure which was disputed by statisticians.

The UK’S net contribution last year may have been even lower after taking private-sector credits into account.