The United Kingdom recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 5.10 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The government of the United Kingdom borrowed approximately *** percent of its GDP in the 2024/25 financial year, compared with ****percent in 2023/24. In 2020/21, government borrowing reached *****percent of GDP, due to increased financial support to public services during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with reduced revenue because of societal lockdowns.

Summary, reconciliation and revisions information on UK government deficit and debt figures by calendar and financial year.

The United Kingdom recorded a government budget deficit of 17434 GBP Million in October of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Government Budget Value - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, the budget balance in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP) in the United Kingdom amounted to -5.75 percent. Between 1980 and 2024, the figure dropped by 2.91 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory. The forecast shows the budget balance will steadily grow by 3.51 percentage points from 2024 to 2030.The indicator describes the general government net lending / borrowing, which is calculated as revenue minus total expenditure. The International Monetary Fund defines the general government expenditure as consisting of total expenses and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The general government revenue consists of the revenue from taxes, social contributions, grants receivable, and other revenue.

View monthly updates and historical trends for UK Public Sector Current Budget Deficit. from United Kingdom. Source: Office for National Statistics. Track…

In 2024, the budget balance in the United Kingdom amounted to -208.37 billion U.S. dollars. Between 1980 and 2024, the figure dropped by 199 billion U.S. dollars, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory. The forecast shows the budget balance will steadily grow by 106.63 billion U.S. dollars from 2024 to 2030.

Key information about UK Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• United Kingdom Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 5.3 % of its Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with a deficit equal to 5.9 % in the previous quarter
• UK Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1987 to Sep 2024, with an average ratio of -3.5 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 2.2 % in Jun 2000 and a record low of -25.6 % in Jun 2020

Office for National Statistics provides quarterly Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP.


Further information about UK Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, UK National Government Debt reached 3,810.9 USD bn in Sep 2024
• UK Nominal GDP reached 786.4 USD bn in Mar 2023

This statistic shows the actual and forecasted current budget deficit in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2017/18 to 2023/24, as percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). The current budget is forecasted to reach -1.4 by 2023/24.

Monthly and long-term United Kingdom Fiscal Balance data: historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

Key information about EU Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• European Union Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 3.1 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a deficit equal to 3.4 % in the previous year
• EU Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1995 to Dec 2024, with an average ratio of -6.1 %
• The data reached an all-time high of -0.4 % in Dec 2018 and a record low of -7.2 % in Dec 1995

CEIC calculates Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP from annual Consolidated Fiscal Balance and quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Consolidated Fiscal Balance in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.


Further information about EU Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, EU National Government Debt reached 17,710.7 USD bn in Jun 2025
• EU Nominal GDP reached 5,301.1 USD bn in Jun 2025

In 2025/26, the budgeted expenditure of the United Kingdom government is expected to be reach 1,335 billion British pounds, with the highest spending function being the 379 billion pounds expected to be spent on social protection, which includes pensions and other welfare benefits. Government spending on health was expected to be 277 billion pounds and was the second-highest spending function in this fiscal year, while education was the third-highest spending category at 146 billion pounds. UK government debt approaching 100 percent of GDP At the end of the 2024/25 financial year, the UK's government debt amounted to approximately 2.8 trillion British pounds, around 96 percent of GDP that year. This is due to the UK having to borrow money to cover its spending commitments, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when this deficit amounted to 314.6 billion pounds. Without significant cuts to spending or tax rises, the current government is aiming to reduce this debt by creating a stronger, more productive economy. Though this is how Britain's post WW2 debt was reduced, the country faces far more structural problems to growth than it did in the mid 20th century. Income Tax the UK's main revenue source Income Tax is expected to raise approximately 329 billion British pounds in the 2025/26 financial year, and be the largest revenue source for the government that year. Value Added Tax (VAT) receipts are expected to raise 214 billion pounds, with National Insurance contributions reaching 199 billion pounds. Although National Insurance rates for employees has actually fallen recently, the rate which employers pay was one of the main tax rises announced in the Autumn 2024 budget, rising from 13.8 percent to 15 percent. Though this avoided raising tax for workers directly, many UK businesses were critical of the move, with taxation seen as the main issue facing them at the start of 2025.

View monthly updates and historical trends for UK Public Sector Excluding Banks Current Budget Deficit. from United Kingdom. Source: Office for National S…

Public sector net debt amounted to 93.5 percent of gross domestic product in the United Kingdom during the 2024/25 financial year. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, UK government debt has reached levels not seen since the early 1960s, due to a significant increase in borrowing in 2020/21. After peaking at 251.7 percent shortly after the end of the Second World War, government debt in the UK gradually fell, before a sharp increase in the late 2000s at the time of the global financial crisis. Debt not expected to start falling until 2029/30 In 2024/25, the UK's government expenditure was approximately 1.28 trillion pounds, around 44 percent of GDP. This spending was financed by 1.14 trillion pounds of revenue raised, and almost 150 billion pounds of borrowing. Although the UK government can continue to borrow money to finance its spending, the amount spent on debt interest has increased significantly in recent years. Current forecasts suggest that while the debt is eventually expected to start declining, this is based on falling government deficits in the next five years. Government facing hard choices Hitting fiscal targets, such as reducing the national debt, will require a careful balancing of the books from the current government, and the possibility for either spending cuts or tax rises. Although Labour ruled out raising the main government tax sources, Income Tax, National Insurance, and VAT, at the 2024 election, they did raise National Insurance for employers (rather than employees) and also cut Winter Fuel allowances for large numbers of pensioners. Less than a year after implementing cuts to Winter Fuel, the government performed a U-Turn on the issue, and also held back on more significant cuts to welfare.

Government debt in the United Kingdom reached over 2.8 trillion British pounds in 2024/25, compared with 2.69 trillion pounds in the previous financial year. Although debt has been increasing throughout this period, there is a noticeable jump between 2019/20, and 2020/21, when debt increased from 1.82 trillion pounds, to 2.15 trillion. The UK's government debt was the equivalent of 93.5 percent of GDP in 2024/25, and is expected to increase slightly in coming years, and not start falling until the end of this decade. Public finances in a tight spot With government debt approaching 100 percent of GDP, the UK finds itself in a tricky fiscal situation. If the UK can't reduce it's spending, or increase its revenue, the government will have to continue borrowing large amounts, increasing the debt further. Adding to the problem, is the fact that financing this debt has got steadily more expensive recently, with the government currently spending more on debt interest than it does on defence, transport, and public order and safety. Can the UK grow out its debt? After the Second World War, when the national debt reached over 250 percent of GDP, the UK managed to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, due to the economy growing faster than its debt over a long period of time. This is certainly the hope of the current Labour government, who are seeking to avoid significant tax and spending adjustments by strengthening the economy. Overdue investments in infrastructure and increased capital spending may eventually achieve this goal, but the government's declining popularity suggests they may not be in power by the time these policies might eventually bear fruit.

United Kingdom GG: Current Budget Deficit data was reported at -6,885.000 GBP mn in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 19,747.000 GBP mn for Mar 2018. United Kingdom GG: Current Budget Deficit data is updated quarterly, averaging -119.000 GBP mn from Mar 1946 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 290 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23,294.000 GBP mn in Mar 2017 and a record low of -39,998.000 GBP mn in Dec 2010. United Kingdom GG: Current Budget Deficit data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.F007: ESA 2010: Public Sector Finances: Transactions: General Government.

This statistic shows the national debt of the United Kingdom from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the national debt in the United Kingdom was about 3.91 trillion U.S. dollars. Reduction of the national debt and recovery of the economy in the UK The debt of the United Kingdom, which amounted to around 1,600 billion pounds in 2014 - more than it has ever been - is projected to keep rising. Since the economic recession of 2007-08, economic growth in the United Kingdom has been slow, but it has been able to recover. In 2014, the United Kingdom recorded a 2.8 percent growth rate. Many believe that if the economy is stable, the government will reduce spending and not accrue any more debt, and it can indeed be seen that while government spending continues to increase, the gap between spending and revenue is projected to get smaller. If the government were to earn more than it spends, it could use the money left over to pay the national debt and start to reduce it. However, what is even more important is the size of the debt in relation to the size of the country's economy; if the debt grows slower than the economy, the debt to GDP ratio can still fall, despite a budget deficit. The ratio of government expenditure to GDP indicates that the economy is recovering at a faster rate than government expenditure, with the ratio decreasing significantly over the last decade and the national debt in relation to GDP being expected to decrease further as well - albeit slowly. This should help relieve concerns over the United Kingdom’s mounting debt, but for some debt reduction is just not fast enough.