Gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product was 102.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2024
Source: World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 102.9%.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 110.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 35.1%, in 2001.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4th out of 49 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 37.7% | — |
| 2001 | 35.1% | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 35.8% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 37.1% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 40.2% | +8.3% |
| 2005 | 41.6% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 42.7% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 43.9% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 51.8% | +18.1% |
| 2009 | 66.8% | +28.9% |
| 2010 | 78.0% | +16.8% |
| 2011 | 83.8% | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 87.5% | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 88.2% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 89.7% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 91.0% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 91.6% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 90.5% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 89.8% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 89.2% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 110.6% | +24.0% |
| 2021 | 109.8% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 102.6% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 102.5% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 102.9% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 43.3% | 35.1% | 66.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.9% | 78.0% | 91.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 105.7% | 102.5% | 110.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 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)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 3.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.2324 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 13,385 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2525 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 14,544 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 9.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1888 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 102.9% in 2024, according to World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 110.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.1% in 2001.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 4th out of 49 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross public sector debt as a share of gross domestic product. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross public sector debt, Central Government, as a proportion of GDP (%).