In 2024/25 the government of the United Kingdom had an expenditure of almost 1.29 trillion British pounds, compared with 1.23 trillion in the previous financial year. Between 2010/11 and 2019/20, the UK's government spending increased at a relatively stable pace before a sudden spike in spending in the 2020s. After spending just under 889 billion pounds in 2019/20, government spending surpassed 1.1 trillion the following year, due to the high level of public spending that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Main outlays of the UK government The government is expected to spend approximately 379 billion British pounds on social protection in the 2025/26 financial year, followed by 277 billion on health, and 146 billion on education. As a share of GDP, social protection spending has consistently been the government's main outlay for several decades. Health spending has, however, become far more prominent. In the late 1970s, the government spent more on education, and defence than it did on health, with health spending increasing from 3.9 percent in 1978/79, to 8.4 percent by 2024/25. Defence spending in particular was cut significantly after the end of the Cold War, although geopolitical instability is forcing the government to rethink these cuts. Spending cuts politically dangerous for Labour Since coming to power in July 2024, the current Labour government has seen its popularity plummet drastically, with approval ratings similar to the unpopular Conservative government it replaced. Part of the reason for this have been Labour's attempts to reform aspects of the UK's welfare system. Shortly after winning the last election, Labour announced cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners, a policy they paid dearly for in political capital and one that was reversed by June 2025. An attempt to push through further reforms was effectively defeated the following month, leaving the government in a tricky fiscal situation for the next budget.

In 2024/25, the UK government spent approximately 13.3 percent of GDP on social protection, compared with 8.4 percent for health, and 4.1 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.

Government spending in the United Kingdom was last recorded at 44.0 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.

In 2021/22, government spending on services in England was 11,549 British pounds per capita, compared with 13,881 pounds in Scotland, 13,401 pounds in Wales, and 14,062 pounds in Northern Ireland, which has had the highest amount of public spending per capita throughout this period.

Government Spending in the United Kingdom increased to 150117 GBP Million in the third quarter of 2025 from 149602 GBP Million in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Government Spending - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

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 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.

In the 2024/25 financial year, the government of the United Kingdom spent approximately 26.7 billion British pounds on Railways, compared with 6.5 billion on national roads, 6.4 billion on local roads, 4.7 billion on local public transport, and 2.2 billion on other forms of transport.

United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data was reported at 25.349 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.287 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 19.767 % from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2015, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.349 % in 2015 and a record low of 12.345 % in 1999. United Kingdom UK: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % 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;

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.

This dataset contains UK key series data about the public expenditures by country and English region, starting with the financial year 2004-2005 and until 2016-2021. These key series data are presented by financial years, by functions (including Health spending) and by sub-functions, in billion pounds.

Public sector spending on education in the United Kingdom reached 118.7 billion British pounds in 2024/25, compared with 114.2 billion pounds in the previous year.

Public sector expenditure for each country and region of the UK.

This dataset contains UK key series data about the public expenditures starting with the financial year 1995-1996 and until 2016-2017. These key series data are presented by financial years, by functions (including Health spending) and by sub-functions, as well as in billion pounds and percent of the GDP. The latest updates for a financial year is released in November. Data for the last financial year are preliminary.

The ratio of government expenditure to GDP in the United Kingdom was 44.04 percent in 2024. Between 1980 and 2024, the ratio rose by five percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio is forecast to decline by 1.25 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.

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: Expenditure: Interest Payments: % of Expenditure data was reported at 6.473 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.973 % for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Expenditure: Interest Payments: % of Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 8.627 % from Dec 1972 (Median) to 2016, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.441 % in 1987 and a record low of 4.333 % in 2009. United Kingdom UK: Expenditure: Interest Payments: % of 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: Government Revenue, Expenditure and Finance. Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents.; ; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files.; Median;

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 2024/25 the UK government is expected to spend approximately ******billion British pounds on benefits, compared with the previous year when benefit expenditure was ******billion pounds.