Social spending as share of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Social spending as share of GDP was 1.6% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Social spending as share of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1980–2022
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 1.6% for social spending as share of gdp in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and up 931.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social spending as share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 1.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2016.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 3rd out of 42 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Social spending as share of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.6% | — |
| 1981 | 0.7% | +16.9% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | +15.0% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -8.0% |
| 1984 | 0.8% | +10.7% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | -4.7% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -84.0% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +22.1% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +17.0% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | +7.0% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -36.8% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -7.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +33.8% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +27.4% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -6.7% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -20.7% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +21.2% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -16.6% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +25.3% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -14.9% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -8.1% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -13.9% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -15.6% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +632.5% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | +113.5% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -6.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 1 Canada 2.4% compare
- 2 New Zealand 2.4% compare
- 4 Italy 1.6% compare
- 5 Netherlands 1.4% compare
- 6 Denmark 1.1% compare
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)
- 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)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is social spending as share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Social spending as share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 1.6% in 2022, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest social spending as share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 1.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest social spending as share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2016.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for social spending as share of gdp?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 3rd out of 42 countries with data for 2022.
- Is social spending as share of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 931.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Social spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in other social policy programs.