THE Government has achieved savings of £10 billion over the past financial year, a 25% increase on its target, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has said.

According to Government figures, the savings are equivalent to nearly £600 per UK working household.

The Efficiency and Reform Group, run by the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, says it has achieved the savings by reducing the size of the civil service and reshaping civil service pensions, the centralisation of the procurement of good and services and improving online services.

The Government had set itself a £8bn savings target.

Mr Maude said: "We know there's a long way still to go to achieve our ambitious plans for savings over the next few years."