Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita was 34.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 34.9% for tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 35.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 27.5%, in 1993.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 24th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 31.2% | — |
| 1981 | 32.0% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 33.9% | +5.8% |
| 1983 | 32.3% | -4.8% |
| 1984 | 32.3% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 32.2% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 32.6% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 31.2% | -4.4% |
| 1988 | 31.1% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 30.4% | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 30.2% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 29.1% | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 28.4% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 27.5% | -3.3% |
| 1994 | 28.1% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 29.3% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 29.1% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 29.8% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 31.3% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 31.9% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 32.7% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 32.2% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 31.4% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 31.2% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 32.1% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 32.5% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 32.8% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 33.0% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 32.1% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 31.1% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 32.0% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 32.9% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 32.1% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 32.0% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 31.7% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 31.9% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 32.5% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 32.7% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 32.5% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 32.8% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 34.2% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 35.1% | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 34.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 31.9% | 30.4% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.5% | 27.5% | 31.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.1% | 31.1% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.3% | 31.7% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.3% | 32.8% | 35.1% | 4 |
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 tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 34.9% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 35.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.5% in 1993.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 24th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. 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 UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes include direct and indirect taxes as well as social contributions. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.