Government spending in the United Kingdom was approximately 44.7 percent of GDP in 2024/25, compared with 39.6 percent in 2019/20.

The government of the United Kingdom borrowed approximately 2.6 percent worth of its GDP in the 2024/25 financial year, compared with 2.3 percent in 2023/24. In 2020/21, government borrowing reached 11.6 percent of GDP, due to increased financial support to public services during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with reduced revenue because of societal lockdowns.

The gross domestic product of the United Kingdom in 2024 was around 2.78 trillion British pounds, an increase when compared to the previous year, when UK GDP amounted to about 2.75 trillion pounds. The significant drop in GDP visible in 2020 was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the smaller declines in 2008 and 2009 because of the global financial crisis of the late 2000s. Low growth problem in the UK Despite growing by 0.9 percent in 2024, and 0.4 percent in 2023 the UK economy is not that much larger than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since recovering from a huge fall in GDP in the second quarter of 2020, the UK economy has alternated between periods of contraction and low growth, with the UK even in a recession at the end of 2023. While economic growth picked up somewhat in 2024, GDP per capita is lower than it was in 2022, following two years of negative growth. UK's global share of GDP falling As of 2024, the UK had the sixth-largest economy in the world, behind the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and India. Among European nations, this meant that the UK currently has the second-largest economy in Europe, although the economy of France, Europe's third-largest economy, is of a similar size. The UK's global economic ranking will likely fall in the coming years, however, with the UK's share of global GDP expected to fall from 2.16 percent in 2025 to 2.02 percent by 2029.  

Distribution and use of income account and capital account, financial account and balance sheet quarterly data for non-financial corporations and sub-sectors.

Distribution and use of income account and capital account, financial account and balance sheet quarterly data for general government.

The economy of the United Kingdom reported zero growth in July 2025, after growing by 0.4 percent in June 2025. As of the most recent month, the UK economy is around 4.8 percent larger than it was in February 2020, just before the start of COVID-19 lockdowns. After a record 19.6 percent decline in GDP in April 2020, the UK economy quickly returned to growth in the following months, and grew through most of 2021. Cost of living crisis lingers into 2025 As of December 2024, just over half of people in the UK reported that their cost of living was higher than it was in the previous month. Although this is a decline from the peak of the crisis in 2022 when over 90 percent of people reported a higher cost of living, households are evidently still under severe pressure. While wage growth has outpaced inflation since July 2023, overall consumer prices were 20 percent higher in late 2024 than they were in late 2021. For food and energy, which lower income households spend more on, late 2024 prices were almost 30 percent higher when compared with late 2021. According to recent estimates, living standards, as measured by changes in disposable income fell by 2.1 percent in 2022/23, but did start to grow again in 2023/24. Late 2023 recession followed by growth in 2024 In December 2023, the UK economy was approximately the same size as it was a year earlier, and struggled to achieve modest growth throughout that year. Going into 2023, a surge in energy costs, as well as high interest rates, created an unfavorable environment for UK consumers and businesses. The inflationary pressures that drove these problems did start to subside, however, with inflation falling to 3.9 percent in November 2023, down from a peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022. Although relatively strong economic growth occurred in the first half of 2024, with GDP growing by 0.7 percent, and 0.4 percent in the first two quarters of the year, zero growth was reported in the third quarter of the year. Long-term issues, such as low business investment, weak productivity growth, and regional inequality, will likely continue to hamper the economy going forward.

The statistic shows the growth rate in the real GDP in the United Kingdom from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the rate of GDP growth in the United Kingdom was at around 1.1 percent compared to the previous year.The economy of the United KingdomGDP is used an indicator as to the shape of a national economy. It is one of the most regularly called upon measurements regarding the economic fitness of a country. GDP is the total market value of all final goods and services that have been produced in a country within a given period of time, usually a year. Inflation adjusted real GDP figures serve as an even more telling indication of a country’s economic state in that they act as a more reliable and clear tool as to a nation’s economic health. The gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in the United Kingdom has started to level in recent years after taking a huge body blow in the financial collapse of 2008. The UK managed to rise from the state of dark desperation it was in between 2009 and 2010, from -3.97 to 1.8 percent. The country suffered acutely from the collapse of the banking industry, raising a number of questions within the UK with regards to the country’s heavy reliance on revenues coming from London's financial sector, arguably the most important in the world and one of the globe’s financial command centers. Since the collapse of the post-war consensus and the rise of Thatcherism, the United Kingdom has been swept along in a wave of individualism - collective ideals have been abandoned and the mass privatisation of the heavy industries was unveiled - opening them up to market competition and shifting the economic focus to that of service.The Big Bang policy, one of the cornerstones of the Thatcher government programs of reform, involved mass and sudden deregulation of financial markets. This led to huge changes in the way the financial markets in London work, and saw the many old firms being absorbed by big banks. This, one could argue, strengthened the UK financial sector greatly and while frivolous and dangerous practices brought the sector into great disrepute, the city of London alone brings in around one fifth of the countries national income making it a very prominent contributor to wealth in the UK.

United Kingdom UK: GDP: USD data was reported at 2,622.434 USD bn in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,650.850 USD bn for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: USD data is updated yearly, averaging 918.504 USD bn from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,074.360 USD bn in 2007 and a record low of 72.328 USD bn in 1960. United Kingdom UK: GDP: USD 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: Nominal. GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Dollar figures for GDP are converted from domestic currencies using single year official exchange rates. For a few countries where the official exchange rate does not reflect the rate effectively applied to actual foreign exchange transactions, an alternative conversion factor is used.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; Gap-filled total;

The UK economy grew by 0.1 percent in the third quarter of 2025, compared with 0.3 percent growth in the previous quarter. After ending 2023 in recession, the UK economy grew strongly in the first half of 2024, growing by 0.8 percent in Q1, and 0.6 percent in Q2, with growth slowing in the second half of the year. In the third quarter of 2020 the UK experienced record setting growth of 16.8 percent, which itself followed the record 20.3 percent contraction in Q2 2020. Growing economy key to Labour's plans Since winning the 2024 general election, the UK's Labour Party have seen their popularity fall substantially. In February 2025, the government's approval rating fell to a low of -54 percent, making them almost as disliked as the Conservatives just before the last election. A string of unpopular policies since taking office have taken a heavy toll on support for the government. Labour hope they can reverse their declining popularity by growing the economy, which has underperformed for several years, and when measured in GDP per capita, fell in 2023, and 2024. Steady labor market trends set to continue? After a robust 2022, the UK labor market remained resilient throughout 2023 and 2024. The unemployment rate at the end of 2024 was 4.4 percent, up from four percent at the start of the year, but still one of the lowest rates on record. While the average number of job vacancies has been falling since a May 2022 peak, there was a slight increase in January 2025 when compared with the previous month. The more concerning aspect of the labor market, from the government's perspective, are the high levels of economic inactivity due to long-term sickness, which reached a peak of 2.84 million in late 2023, and remained at high levels throughout 2024.

Quarterly levels for UK gross domestic product (GDP), in chained volume measures at market prices.

Key information about United Kingdom Real GDP Growth

• The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in United Kingdom expanded 1.3 % YoY in Sep 2025, following a growth of 1.4 % in the previous quarter.
• Real GDP Growth YoY data in UK is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1956 to Sep 2025, with an average rate of -0.4 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 25.5 % in Jun 2021 and a record low of -21.7 % in Jun 2020.

CEIC calculates quarterly Real GDP Growth from quarterly Real GDP. The Office for National Statistics provides Real GDP in local currency, at chain linked 2023 prices.


Related information about United Kingdom Real GDP Growth

• In the latest reports, Nominal GDP of UK reached 1,029.9 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 3.7 % in Sep 2025.
• GDP Per Capita in UK reached 53,191.3 USD in Dec 2024.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 17.5 % in Jun 2025.
• For Nominal GDP contributions, Investment accounted for 17.9 % in Jun 2025.
• Public Consumption accounted for 21.4 % in Jun 2025.
• Private Consumption accounted for 61.2 % in Jun 2025.

United Kingdom UK: GDP: PPP data was reported at 2,856,703.440 Intl $ mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,798,058.629 Intl $ mn for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: PPP data is updated yearly, averaging 1,847,822.483 Intl $ mn from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,856,703.440 Intl $ mn in 2017 and a record low of 969,455.384 Intl $ mn in 1990. United Kingdom UK: GDP: PPP 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: Purchasing Power Parity. PPP GDP is gross domestic product converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates. An international dollar has the same purchasing power over GDP as the U.S. dollar has in the United States. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current international dollars. For most economies PPP figures are extrapolated from the 2011 International Comparison Program (ICP) benchmark estimates or imputed using a statistical model based on the 2011 ICP. For 47 high- and upper middle-income economies conversion factors are provided by Eurostat and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).; ; World Bank, International Comparison Program database.; Gap-filled total;

Full Year GDP Growth in the United Kingdom increased to 1.10 percent in 2024 from 0.40 percent in 2023. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Full Year Gdp Growth.

Key information about United Kingdom Private Consumption: % of GDP

• United Kingdom Private Consumption accounted for 61.2 % of its Nominal GDP in Jun 2025, compared with a ratio of 58.1 % in the previous quarter.
• UK Private Consumption contribution to Nominal GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1955 to Jun 2025, with an average share of 59.6 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 70.2 % in Dec 1955 and a record low of 55.5 % in Mar 2021.

CEIC calculates Private Consumption as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Private Consumption Expenditure and quarterly Nominal GDP. Private Consumption Expenditure is calculated as the sum of Household and NPISHs consumption. Office for National Statistics provides Private Consumption Expenditure in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about United Kingdom Private Consumption: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, UK GDP expanded 1.3 % YoY in Sep 2025.
• Its Nominal GDP reached 1,029.9 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• UK GDP Per Capita reached 53,191.3 USD in Dec 2024.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 17.5 % in Jun 2025.

Data underlying comparisons of UK productivity against that of the remaining G7 countries.

United Kingdom UK: GDP: Real: per Capita data was reported at 27,514.498 GBP in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 27,207.249 GBP for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: Real: per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 18,191.242 GBP from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27,514.498 GBP in 2017 and a record low of 8,948.840 GBP in 1960. United Kingdom UK: GDP: Real: per 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: Gross Domestic Product: Real. GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in constant local currency.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; ;

Datasets for each of the chapters in The Blue Book 2025 including the national accounts at a glance, financial and non-financial corporations, households and non-profit institutions serving households and summary supply and use tables.