Why is the US government on the brink of a shutdown? What will it mean?

The United States government will shut down on Wednesday if Democrats and Republicans in Congress cannot reach an agreement on a vital funding bill.

The shutdown could temporarily halt some US government services and put the salaries of government employees on hold – or even end them altogether.

While it has been normal practice to place staff on “furlough” during previous government shutdowns – meaning they are reinstated and receive back pay once the government is up and running again – this time, the Trump administration is threatening to fire people permanently.

Why might the government shut down?

The new fiscal year for the federal government begins on October 1, but Congress has not agreed on a necessary short-term funding bill.

Republicans control both chambers of Congress.