Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services was 10.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services 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 10.9% for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.4% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 11.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 8.8%, in 1981.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 57th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.9% | — |
| 1981 | 8.8% | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 9.9% | +13.1% |
| 1983 | 9.4% | -5.0% |
| 1984 | 9.9% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 10.2% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 9.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 9.5% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 9.3% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 9.6% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 9.8% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 9.6% | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 9.9% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 10.3% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 10.5% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 10.8% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 11.1% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 10.8% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 10.8% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 10.8% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 10.9% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 10.5% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 10.5% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 10.6% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 10.1% | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 9.6% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 10.5% | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 11.2% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 11.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 11.4% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 11.4% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 11.4% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 11.4% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 11.3% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 10.7% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 11.0% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 10.9% | -4.4% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 10.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.3%, 1.1× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 10.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.7%, 93% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.7% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 9.6% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.3% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.0% | 10.7% | 11.4% | 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)
- 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 taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 10.9% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.8% in 1981.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 57th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. 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 UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total taxes on income (individual and corporate) vs. total taxes on goods and services (including VAT and sales taxes), as a share of GDP.