In 2022/23, the UK government spent approximately 10.2 percent of GDP on social security, compared with 8.4 percent for health, and 4.2 percent for education. These three spending areas have accounted for the highest share of government spending since the late 1980s. Defence spending as a share of GDP has, by contrast, fallen throughout this period, from a high of 4.6 percent in 1984/85, to just 1.8 percent in the mid-2010s. Main sources of revenue During this same time period, income tax has been the most important source of revenue for the government, accounting for almost ten percent of GDP in the 2022/23 financial year. The UK's main tax levied on sales, Value Added Tax (VAT), was equivalent to 7.4 percent of GDP that year, with National Insurance Contributions at around seven percent of GDP. Taxes raised from businesses via Corporation Tax were the fourth-major source of tax revenue that year, at approximately 3.1 percent of GDP. Debt and borrowing Due to several years of the government spending more than it earns, the government has had to borrow large amounts to finance its commitments. This was especially the case at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when, due to depressed revenues and increased expenditure, the government borrowed more than 314 billion pounds. This increased the national debt from 1.8 trillion pounds, to around 2.15 trillion pounds, or almost 97 percent of GDP.

The ratio of government expenditure to GDP in the United Kingdom was approximately 44.04 percent in 2024. Between 1980 and 2024, the ratio rose by around five percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio is forecast to decline by about 1.14 percentage points from 2024 to 2030, fluctuating as it trends downward.Shown here is the general government expenditure as a share of the national gross domestic product. As defined by the International Monetary Fund, the general government expenditure consists of total expense and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The gross domestic product represents the total value of final goods and services produced during a year.

Government spending in the United Kingdom was last recorded at 44.4 percent of GDP in 2024 . This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Government Spending to GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in United Kingdom was reported at 4.9592 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2023/24, the government of the United Kingdom spent approximately 4.1 percent of its gross domestic product on education, compared with 4.2 percent in the previous financial year. During this time period, education spending as a share of GDP was highest in 2009/10 when it was 5.7 percent.

This dataset provides values for GOVERNMENT SPENDING TO GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data was reported at 23.423 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.903 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 23.700 % from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2015, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.349 % in 2010 and a record low of 21.138 % in 1999. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Education Statistics. Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

Public sector net debt amounted to 95.8 percent of gross domestic product in the United Kingdom during the 2024/25 financial year, or 90 percent when the Bank of England is excluded. UK government debt is at its highest levels since the early 1960s, due to a significant increase in borrowing during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 44.7 percent of GDP. This spending was financed by 1.13 trillion pounds of revenue raised, and 151 billion pounds of borrowing. Although the UK government can still borrow money in the future to finance its spending, the amount spent on debt interest has increased significantly recently. Recent 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 will make it widely available by the winter of 2025.

This statistic shows government expenditure as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2017/18 to 2023/24. Proportional expenditure is predicted to decrease yearly, to a forecasted total of 37.8 percent of GDP by 2023/24.

United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data was reported at 5.631 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.693 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 4.944 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.424 % in 1976 and a record low of 4.025 % in 1999. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

United Kingdom UK: Domestic General Government Health Expenditure: % of GDP data was reported at 7.936 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 7.870 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Domestic General Government Health Expenditure: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 6.382 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.936 % in 2015 and a record low of 4.917 % in 2000. United Kingdom UK: Domestic General Government Health Expenditure: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Health Statistics. Public expenditure on health from domestic sources as a share of the economy as measured by GDP.; ; World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure database (http://apps.who.int/nha/database).; Weighted average;

United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Final Consumption Expenditure: General Government data was reported at 18.409 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.828 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Final Consumption Expenditure: General Government data is updated yearly, averaging 18.790 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.895 % in 1975 and a record low of 15.808 % in 1998. United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Final Consumption Expenditure: General Government data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Gross Domestic Product: Share of GDP. General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; Weighted average;

General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) in United Kingdom was reported at 20.55 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Public Sector Total Managed Expenditure in the United Kingdom (PSTMEXUKA) from 1900 to 2016 about public, academic data, sector, United Kingdom, and expenditures.

Key information about UK Public Consumption: % of GDP

• United Kingdom Public Consumption accounted for 20.8 % of its Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with a share of 21.0 % in the previous quarter.
• UK Public Consumption share of Nominal GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1955 to Sep 2024, with an average number of 17.9 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 25.9 % in Jun 2020 and a record low of 14.9 % in Dec 1964.

CEIC calculates Government Consumption as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Consumption Expenditure and quarterly Nominal GDP. Office for National Statistics provides Government Consumption Expenditure in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about UK Public Consumption: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, UK GDP expanded 0.2 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• UK Nominal GDP reached 786.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 6.6 % in Dec 2022.
• UK GDP Per Capita reached 45,308.8 USD in Dec 2022.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 16.4 % in Sep 2024.
• For Nominal GDP contributions, Investment accounted for 18.2 % in Sep 2024.
• Private Consumption accounted for 62.8 % in Sep 2024.

In 2024/25 the government of the United Kingdom's income was estimated to equate to approximately 39.4 percent of GDP, compared with 40 percent in the previous financial year.

United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Tertiary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data was reported at 35.633 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 37.748 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Tertiary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 24.862 % from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2015, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.748 % in 2014 and a record low of 18.867 % in 2009. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Tertiary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

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.

In 2024/25 the government of the United Kingdom had an expenditure of approximately 1.28 trillion British pounds, compared with 1.23 trillion in the previous financial year.

United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Gross National Expenditure data was reported at 101.405 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 102.072 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Gross National Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 101.039 % from Dec 1965 (Median) to 2017, with 53 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 104.744 % in 1974 and a record low of 97.234 % in 1981. United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Gross National Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Gross Domestic Product: Share of GDP. Gross national expenditure (formerly domestic absorption) is the sum of household final consumption expenditure (formerly private consumption), general government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption), and gross capital formation (formerly gross domestic investment).; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; ;