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 95.8 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.

Key information about United Kingdom Government Debt: % of GDP

• United Kingdom Government debt accounted for 101.1 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 100.9 % in the previous quarter.
• UK government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1966 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 107.5 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 28.3 % in Dec 1990.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Office of National Statistics provides Government Debt in local currency. The Office for National Statistics provides Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about United Kingdom Government Debt: % of GDP

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

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.

As of November 2021, the cumulative public sector budget deficit in the United Kingdom for the 2021/22 financial year stood at 106.2 billion British pounds, compared with 207.4 billion pounds in the same month of the 2020/21 financial year.

Key information about European Union Government Debt: % of GDP

• European Union Government debt accounted for 81.6 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 81.5 % in the previous quarter.
• EU government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 91.5 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 62.4 % in Dec 2007.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Government Debt in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.


Related information about European Union Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, EU National Government Debt reached 16,136.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 4,430.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

The value of debt per adult in the United Kingdom (UK) fluctuated between 2010 and 2021, peaking at roughly **** thousand U.S. dollars in 2013. As of 2021, the average debt per adult in the UK reached a value of ****** U.S. dollars.

Households Debt in the United Kingdom decreased to 76.30 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 77.20 percent of GDP in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Private Debt to GDP in the United Kingdom decreased to 75.70 percent in 2024 from 79.30 percent in 2023. United Kingdom Private Debt to GDP - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on August of 2025.

Attitudes towards savings and debt differ greatly among countries worldwide. While the household debt in Denmark represented a *** percent of their disposable income in 2021, those figures amounted to ** percent in Mexico. Household debt represented a *** percent of disposable income in the UK and *** percent in the U.S..

In 2025, students graduating from English universities will have incurred an average of 53,000 British pounds of student loan debt, compared with 39,000 pounds in Wales, 28,000 pounds in Northern Ireland, and around 18,000 pounds in Scotland.

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.

The average amount of buy now, pay later debt from a UK consumer grew by several percent between 2021 and 2020 - although values did differ per BNPL platform. Klarna and Clearpay - two of the most downloaded BNPL apps in the United Kingdom - also had some of the lowest debts per capita compared to some of the other leading BNPL platforms. The source does not explain why these differences exist, although it does mention that most consumers took significantly longer than the average repayment time limit of ** days. This included both Klarna as well as Clearpay, as ***** percent and ** percent of respondents, respectively, felt they would not be able to pay back their money to the two platforms within ** days after a purchase. In general, however, repayments were outstripping new lending since the coronavirus pandemic, with regards to credit card debt in the UK.

The UK's average credit card debt per household grew by *** British pounds between December 2021 and December 2022, the first increase since 2020. Standing at ***** British pounds at December 2022, the figure contrasts with the decline in 2020 – when the debt declined from ***** British pounds to ***** British pounds. That particular drop was likely a result of Covid-19's economic impact, and consumers trying to get rid of their credit card debt. The increase in 2022 may be caused by growing interest rates and the cost of living crisis beginning to take shape.

Debt collection revenue is influenced by the level of personal and business debt, demand for debt collection and debt recovery rates. Agencies have been transitioning from fee-based collection services to higher-margin portfolio acquisitions, bolstered by higher consolidation activity. However, portfolio acquisition is more within the reach of larger agencies. Debt collection services typically thrive during economic downturns, although recovering debts is more challenging. In tough economic times, more consumers and businesses struggle with debt, leading to higher delinquency rates. Creditors often sell these bad debt portfolios to third-party collectors, creating potential revenue for debt collection agencies. However, while there are more debts to collect, consumers often have limited income, making it challenging to recover full payments or even partial settlements. Moreover, stricter regulations, like 2021’s Debt Respite Scheme, have presented challenges for agencies looking to recover credit card payments. Revenue is forecast to fall at a compound annual rate of 4% over the five years through 2024-25 to £1.9 billion. In 2024-25, revenue is set to climb by 1.2%. The UK economy is improving in 2024-25, with stable inflation and better GDP rates, making it easier for debt collectors to recoup revenue. Although demand for services is counter-cyclical, recouping actual revenue is more likely during an economic upturn because disposable incomes tend to improve when the economy strengthens, making it easier for debtors to repay outstanding debts. Economic conditions are set to stabilise in the coming years, making it easier for debt collection services to recoup revenue. Revenue is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 2.8% over the five years through 2029-30 to reach £2.2 billion. Businesses will take on more risk and raise investments, while consumers raise their spending through credit cards. Consolidation activity and the switch towards portfolio-acquisition services will also continue to gain momentum. As inflation eases, debtors will be able to pay off their debts more quickly, boosting agencies' revenue.

The data underlying the public sector finances statistical bulletin are presented in the tables PSA 1 to 10.

Italy recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 135.30 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Italy Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Between 2006 and 2025, year-on-year change in consumer loans in the United Kingdom (UK) fluctuated more than mortgage lending. After a very sharp fall in mid to late 2020 and early 2021, the value of consumer credit began to increase again, reaching a positive annual growth rate of *** percent in June 2025. Meanwhile, the year-on-year change of mortgages kept growing in 2024 from **** percent in January 2024 to *** percent in June 2025.