Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax was 6.07 Percentage of GDP in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
6.07 Percentage of GDP
Change on year
down 9.0%
World rank
24th
of 33 countries
All-time high
7.06 Percentage of GDP
in 2022
All-time low
4.62 Percentage of GDP
in 1969
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in United Kingdom, 1965–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in United Kingdom stood at 6.07 Percentage of GDP.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in United Kingdom peaked at 7.06 Percentage of GDP in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4.62 Percentage of GDP, in 1969.
That places United Kingdom 24th out of 33 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Percentage of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 4.63 Percentage of GDP | — |
| 1966 | 4.65 Percentage of GDP | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 4.7 Percentage of GDP | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 4.81 Percentage of GDP | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 4.62 Percentage of GDP | -4.0% |
| 1970 | 4.88 Percentage of GDP | +5.5% |
| 1971 | 4.64 Percentage of GDP | -4.8% |
| 1972 | 4.9 Percentage of GDP | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 5.01 Percentage of GDP | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 5.67 Percentage of GDP | +13.2% |
| 1975 | 5.98 Percentage of GDP | +5.6% |
| 1976 | 6.35 Percentage of GDP | +6.2% |
| 1977 | 6.19 Percentage of GDP | -2.6% |
| 1978 | 5.7 Percentage of GDP | -7.8% |
| 1979 | 5.39 Percentage of GDP | -5.6% |
| 1980 | 5.57 Percentage of GDP | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 5.57 Percentage of GDP | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 6.29 Percentage of GDP | +13.0% |
| 1983 | 6.3 Percentage of GDP | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 6.3 Percentage of GDP | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 6.23 Percentage of GDP | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 6.54 Percentage of GDP | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 6.18 Percentage of GDP | -5.5% |
| 1988 | 6.25 Percentage of GDP | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 5.75 Percentage of GDP | -8.0% |
| 1990 | 5.6 Percentage of GDP | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 5.59 Percentage of GDP | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 5.51 Percentage of GDP | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 5.55 Percentage of GDP | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 5.64 Percentage of GDP | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 5.21 Percentage of GDP | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 5.11 Percentage of GDP | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 5.31 Percentage of GDP | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 5.31 Percentage of GDP | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 5.44 Percentage of GDP | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 5.47 Percentage of GDP | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 5.51 Percentage of GDP | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 5.32 Percentage of GDP | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 5.69 Percentage of GDP | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 5.99 Percentage of GDP | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 6.04 Percentage of GDP | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 6.08 Percentage of GDP | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 6.03 Percentage of GDP | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 6.17 Percentage of GDP | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 6.1 Percentage of GDP | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 6.05 Percentage of GDP | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 6.1 Percentage of GDP | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 6.09 Percentage of GDP | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 5.96 Percentage of GDP | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 5.86 Percentage of GDP | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 5.96 Percentage of GDP | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 6.12 Percentage of GDP | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 6.26 Percentage of GDP | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 6.29 Percentage of GDP | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 6.44 Percentage of GDP | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 6.83 Percentage of GDP | +5.9% |
| 2021 | 6.84 Percentage of GDP | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 7.06 Percentage of GDP | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 6.67 Percentage of GDP | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 6.07 Percentage of GDP | -9.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 6.07 Percentage of GDP is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.61 Percentage of GDP, 52% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 6.07 Percentage of GDP is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.73 Percentage of GDP, 57% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.68 Percentage of GDP | 4.62 Percentage of GDP | 4.81 Percentage of GDP | 5 |
| 1970s | 5.47 Percentage of GDP | 4.64 Percentage of GDP | 6.35 Percentage of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.1 Percentage of GDP | 5.57 Percentage of GDP | 6.54 Percentage of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.43 Percentage of GDP | 5.11 Percentage of GDP | 5.64 Percentage of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.84 Percentage of GDP | 5.32 Percentage of GDP | 6.17 Percentage of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.11 Percentage of GDP | 5.86 Percentage of GDP | 6.44 Percentage of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.69 Percentage of GDP | 6.07 Percentage of GDP | 7.06 Percentage of GDP | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 21 Costa Rica 9.04 Percentage of GDP compare
- 22 Sweden 8.96 Percentage of GDP compare
- 23 Switzerland 6.68 Percentage of GDP compare
- 25 United States 5.98 Percentage of GDP compare
- 26 Canada 5.28 Percentage of GDP compare
- 27 Israel 4.96 Percentage of GDP compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 86.93 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0217 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,251 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 76.63 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 691.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0191 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,103 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 22.77 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in United Kingdom?
- Financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in United Kingdom was 6.07 Percentage of GDP in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 7.06 Percentage of GDP in 2022.
- What is the lowest financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.62 Percentage of GDP in 1969.
- How does United Kingdom rank for financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax?
- United Kingdom ranks 24th out of 33 countries with data for 2024.
- Is financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax revenue. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Compulsory payments conferring entitlement to future social benefits These are usually earmarked to finance social benefits and paid to institutions of general government.