Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax was 27.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1982–2021
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 27.7%, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 30.5% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 1982.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 94th out of 109 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 23.0% | — |
| 1983 | 23.6% | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 24.0% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 23.9% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 24.2% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 24.6% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 25.2% | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 25.1% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 27.9% | +11.1% |
| 1991 | 28.0% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 28.4% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 28.8% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 29.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 28.6% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 30.1% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 29.9% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 28.8% | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 29.3% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 28.2% | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 28.9% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 29.6% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 29.9% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 28.8% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 30.5% | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 30.3% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 26.9% | -11.2% |
| 2009 | 28.2% | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 24.9% | -11.8% |
| 2011 | 25.7% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 28.5% | +11.1% |
| 2015 | 28.1% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 27.9% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 28.5% | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 28.3% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 27.2% | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 27.7% | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 24.2% | 23.0% | 25.2% | 8 |
| 1990s | 28.9% | 27.9% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.0% | 26.9% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.3% | 24.9% | 28.5% | 8 |
| 2020s | 27.4% | 27.2% | 27.7% | 2 |
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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2642 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 15,219 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -88.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -82.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0049 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 279.97 current LCU per person (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 27.7% in 2021, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 10% before and after tax recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 30.5% in 2006.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 10% before and after tax recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 1982.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for income share of the richest 10% before and after tax?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 94th out of 109 countries with data for 2021.
- Is income share of the richest 10% before and after tax rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. 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 Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 10% of the population. Income here is measured after taxes and benefits.