Government spending vs. GDP, per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Government spending vs. GDP, per capita was 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
21st
of 166 countries
All-time high
9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person
in 2025
All-time low
4,690 constant 2015 US$ per person
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Government spending vs. GDP, per capita in United Kingdom, 1970–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2015 US$ per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government spending vs. gdp, per capita in United Kingdom is 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending vs. gdp, per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4,690 constant 2015 US$ per person, in 1970.
That places United Kingdom 21st out of 166 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Government spending vs. GDP, per capita in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4,690 constant 2015 US$ per person | — |
| 1971 | 4,816 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 5,019 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 5,194 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 5,295 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 5,597 constant 2015 US$ per person | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 5,699 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 5,621 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 5,722 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 5,810 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 5,893 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 5,904 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 5,949 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 6,052 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 6,116 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 6,082 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 6,156 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 6,138 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 6,134 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 6,177 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 6,293 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 6,463 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 6,493 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 6,433 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 6,484 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 6,551 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 6,580 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 6,519 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 6,719 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 6,936 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 7,155 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 7,469 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.4% |
| 2002 | 7,734 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 8,023 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 8,307 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 8,445 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 8,540 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 8,584 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 8,692 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 8,747 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 8,677 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 8,582 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 8,645 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 8,591 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 8,725 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 8,748 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 8,755 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 8,796 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 8,809 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 9,022 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 8,471 constant 2015 US$ per person | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 9,538 constant 2015 US$ per person | +12.6% |
| 2022 | 9,452 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 9,520 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 9,692 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 6,505 constant 2015 US$ per person, 1.5× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,819 constant 2015 US$ per person, 2.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5,346 constant 2015 US$ per person | 4,690 constant 2015 US$ per person | 5,810 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 6,060 constant 2015 US$ per person | 5,893 constant 2015 US$ per person | 6,177 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,547 constant 2015 US$ per person | 6,293 constant 2015 US$ per person | 6,936 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,170 constant 2015 US$ per person | 7,155 constant 2015 US$ per person | 8,747 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 8,735 constant 2015 US$ per person | 8,582 constant 2015 US$ per person | 9,022 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,417 constant 2015 US$ per person | 8,471 constant 2015 US$ per person | 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 18 Germany 9,989 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 19 Austria 9,894 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 20 France 9,856 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 22 United States 8,913 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 23 New Zealand 8,484 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 24 Japan 8,061 constant 2015 US$ per person 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$), annual growth rate 22.77 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending vs. gdp, per capita in United Kingdom?
- Government spending vs. gdp, per capita in United Kingdom was 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest government spending vs. gdp, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest government spending vs. gdp, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,690 constant 2015 US$ per person in 1970.
- How does United Kingdom rank for government spending vs. gdp, per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 21st out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government spending vs. gdp, per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Government spending vs. GDP, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Government spending vs. GDP divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Government spending vs. GDP ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Government spending vs. GDP National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Government spending vs. GDP divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.