Healthcare spending in the United Kingdom (UK) has gradually increased since 2000 when it amounted to 78.5 billion British pounds. By 2021, healthcare expenditure in the UKreached a maximum of over 244 billion British pounds. This was an increase of approximately two billion British pounds on the previous year's healthcare spending. In 2023, this figure stood at almost 230 billion British pounds. Health expenditure in the UK compared to Europe In 2023, the UK spent almost 11 percent of its GDP on healthcare. In comparison to other European countries, this ranked the UK fifth in terms of health expenditure. At the op of the list was Switzerland, which spent 12 percent of its GDP on healthcare that year.  Performance of the NHS in the UK The majority of surveyed individuals in the UK regard the NHS as a world class health service and remain happy with the high level of care provided by the organization. Although waiting times have been getting worse in the A&E department over the years. The NHS has been falling behind the target that 95 percent of patients should be seen within four hours of arrival. As a result, the primary reasons for dissatisfaction with the NHS among the public are the length of time required to get a GP or hospital appointment and the lack of staff.

Healthcare expenditure statistics, produced to the international definitions of the System of Health Accounts 2011.

Subcategories may not sum to aggregates due to rounding.

Healthcare spending in the United Kingdom (UK) as a share of the gross domestic product (GDP) has increased since 1990, when it was 5.1 percent. By 2023, healthcare expenditure in the UK amounted 10.9 percent of the GDP. Health expenditure in the UK compared to Europe  In comparison to other European countries in 2022, the UK ranked fifth highest in terms of healthcare spending as a share of the GDP. Top of the list was Germany, which spent 12.7 percent of its GDP on healthcare in this year. This was followed by France and Austria, which spent 11.9 percent and 11.4 percent on health, respectively. Performance of the NHS in the UK  Individuals in the UK still regard the NHS as a world class health service and remain happy with the high level of care provided by the organization. Although waiting times have been getting worse in the A&E department over the years. The NHS has been falling behind the target that 95 percent of patients should be seen within four hours of arrival. As a result, the primary reasons for dissatisfaction with the NHS among the public are the length of time required to get a GP or hospital appointment and the lack of staff.   

The majority of healthcare expenditure in the United Kingdom is publicly funded through the National Health Service, amounting to 239.4 billion British pounds in 2023. This statistic shows the public or government-financed healthcare expenditure in the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2023.

United Kingdom UK: Current Health Expenditure: % of GDP data was reported at 9.877 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.799 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Current Health Expenditure: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 7.615 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.877 % in 2015 and a record low of 6.012 % in 2000. United Kingdom UK: Current 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. Level of current health expenditure expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year. This indicator does not include capital health expenditures such as buildings, machinery, IT and stocks of vaccines for emergency or outbreaks.; ; World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure database (http://apps.who.int/nha/database).; Weighted average;

UK healthcare expenditure data by financing scheme, function and provider, and additional analyses produced to internationally standardised definitions.

The healthcare spending growth rate in the United Kingdom (UK) has experienced fluctuations since 1998. Then, the healthcare spending growth rate was 6.5 percent and by 2020 the healthcare spending growth was highest at 13.2 percent. 2002 saw the second highest healthcare spending growth rate at 9.9 percent. In 2023, the growth rate was 5.9 percent, a significant increase from the preceding year. Health expenditure in the UK compared to Europe In 2023, the UK spent just 10.9 percent of its GDP on healthcare. In comparison to other European countries, this ranked the UK fifth in terms of health expenditure in 2023. Top of the list was Switzerland, which spent 12 percent of its GDP on healthcare in this year. Consequences from low spending growth? The majority of surveyed individuals in the UK, regard the NHS as a world class health service and remain happy with the high level of care provided by the organization. Although waiting times have been getting worse in the A&E department over the years. The NHS has been falling behind the target that 95 percent of patients should be seen within four hours of arrival. As a result, the primary reasons for dissatisfaction with the NHS among the public are the length of time required to get a GP or hospital appointment and the lack of staff.

The government of the United Kingdom spent over 221 billion British pounds on health in 2023/24, compared with 212.7 billion pounds in 2022/23.

Forecast: Healthcare Expenditure on Medical Goods in the UK 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

This statistic displays the annual public healthcare spending in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023. The total public healthcare spending increased over the period concerned to approximately ***** British pounds per capita in 2022, the highest in the provided time interval, before slightly falling to ***** British pounds in 2023.

Estimates of healthcare expenditure in the UK to the definitions contained in the System of Health Accounts (SHA, OECD 2000)

Source agency: Office for National Statistics

Designation: Official Statistics not designated as National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Expenditure on Healthcare in the UK

In 2023, the annual spending on public healthcare in the United Kingdom (UK) accounted for *** percent of GDP. This is a significant decrease from **** percent in 2020 and 2021, which were the highest shares in the reported time period. Total spending on health in the UK In total, approximately *** billion British pounds were spent on healthcare in the UK in 2022. Although, spending as a share of GDP decreased from 2009 to 2019, the total spending on health has continued to increase. Broken down by function, the UK government spent almost *** billion pounds on curative/rehabilitative care. Performance of the NHS in the UK Individuals in the UK still regard the NHS as a world class health service and remain happy with the high level of care provided by the organization. However, waiting times have been getting worse in the A&E department over the years. The NHS has been falling behind the target that ** percent of patients should be seen within * hours of arrival. As a result, the primary reasons for dissatisfaction with the NHS among the public are the length of time required to get a GP or hospital appointment and the lack of staff.

The majority of healthcare expenditure in the United Kingdom is publicly funded through the NHS, though private household out-of-pocket and voluntary health insurance spending amounted to 47.7 billion British pounds in 2023. This statistic shows the private sector (including out-of-pocket and voluntary health insurance schemes) healthcare expenditure in the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2023.

Total healthcare expenditure and other analysis.

Annual growth rates in total, current and capital healthcare expenditure in the UK.

In 2023/24, health spending in the United Kingdom was ***** British pounds per capita, ranging from ***** pounds per capita in London, to ***** pounds per capita in East England.

Total healthcare expenditure in the UK as a percentage of GDP.