Brexit: The EU referendum cost the taxpayer £129m to carry out

The EU referendum in 2016 cost taxpayers £129.1m, the Electoral Commission has revealed. 

The UK's electoral watchdog said today that the biggest cost was administering the poll, which included the running of 40,000 polling stations, issuing postal votes and counting votes on the day, and totalled £94.5m.

There were also statutory grants of £1.2m to both the Leave and Remain campaigns, while the cost for campaigners to post pamphlets to all of the electorate reached a staggering £25.4m itself. 

A further £6m was spent on raising public awareness of the vote across the country and providing information on how and when to take part. 

Finally, another £2m was spent on direct staff and administration costs of the Electoral Commission themselves. 

The total of £129.1 was less than the £142.4m the Cabinet Office had predicted in early 2016 and is roughly the cost of a general election in the UK.

Last year's general election cost the public £140m, according to the Cabinet Office.