Site Map 
Tuesday May 26, 2026 
compiled by Christopher Chantrill

Time Series Chart of UK Public Spending

chart
wizard
download
data
download
tab-delimited
view
data
customize
chart



Use the table below to change the data series


You can display a maximum of five data series at once.

Spending Units: By default, public spending is displayed in billions of pounds. By using a dropdown control in the table heading you can select £ bln (2019), and percent of GDP.
Chart Title: You can create a title for your chart. Use the title text box to enter a title and click the button to the right of the text field.
UK or Country: By default, the chart shows overall United Kingdom government spending. But you can select spending for individual countries by selecting the country dropdown control in the table heading.
View: There are two ways to view the spending data. The default view breaks down spending into functions. There is also a COFOG view that categorizes spending using the UN standard methodology.
General Help: You can use controls on the table below to change the following variables: spending units—e.g. percent of GDP, etc.— and year. You can select the HM Treasury Budget fiscal year.
Line/Bar: By default, the data series are displayed as line charts. But you can also select a bar chart.
Data Stack: By default, the data series are “stacked” when displayed on the chart. But you can change the setting to “un stack” the data series.
Chart Size: By default, the chart is displayed at medium size. But you can use the dropdown control to change the size.
Color: By default charts are displayed with color data lines and fill. You can change this to grayscale if you want.

Data Range

Start Year: You can select any start year you want using the dropdown control in the table heading. At the top and bottom of the dropdown only years ending in “0” are shown. Select a start year to get close, then select the start year you want.
End Year: You can select any end year you want using the dropdown control in the table heading. At the top and bottom of the dropdown only years ending in “0” are shown. Select an end year to get close, then select the end year you want.
Category (max 7)Sub-categoryCentral 
Gov.
General 
Gov.
Local 
Auth.
Total   
 
Data Series: You can select up to five data series to display on your chart. Click on a checkbox to add or delete a data series from the chart. Once you get to five data series you will have to delete a series before you can add one. Click a [+] expand control to drill down to more detailed data series.
 
 All Categories

If you’d like to create your own custom chart of spending data you should use the table above to make your selections.

  • Select the year range: Select the start year and the end year you want by selecting the years you want in the two year dropdown boxes.
  • Select spending items: Just select the spending item you want from the dropdown control. Then click a radio button to select the level of government: federal, state, or local. If you select from the < select > you will add another data series to your chart. Up to 5 data series are allowed at once. Click the “X” link to remove a data series from the chart.
  • Select units: You can select the display in billions of nominal (i.e. inflated) pounds, billions of real (i.e. year 2019) pounds, or as percent of GDP.
  • Choose chart features: You can select the size of the chart, switch from bar chart to line chart, select color or black and white, stacked or not. You can also blow up the chart to fill the screen with the “fullsize” tab control above the chart display.

back to chart |back to table | back to top

Download Data File

 

Click button to download CSV file of dataset in chart.

Download Tab-delimited Data

Copy and Paste: Here is the dataset you have just charted. The table also includes nominal or chained GDP for each year charted. If you’d like the data for analysis, just copy the tab-delimited text in the textbox below (click cursor in text box, then press ctrl-A then press ctrl-C) and paste it into your spreadsheet.

View Data Series

back to chart |back to table | back to top

Below is a formatted version of the dataset displayed in the chart. Included is a column of nominal or chained GDP for each year charted.

Defence
Fiscal Years 1700 to 2011
YearInflationGDP-UK
£ billion 2019
Population-UK
million (2005)
Defence -total -total
£ billion 2019
17000.2512.9479.1000.19a
1701-5.29MW gdp9.1290.25a
1702-0.15MW gdp9.1580.54a
1703-0.9MW gdp9.1880.59a
17042.1MW gdp9.2170.62a
1705-1.75MW gdp9.2470.66a
1706-2.37MW gdp9.2760.82a
1707-1.74MW gdp9.3060.95a
17083.53MW gdp9.3360.87a
17097.9MW gdp9.3660.95a
17102.94MW gdp9.3961.05a
1711-7.86MW gdp9.4262.02a
1712-2.37MW gdp9.4560.77a
17132.56MW gdp9.4870.44a
17141.35MW gdp9.5170.31a
1715-3.98MW gdp9.5470.36a
17160.38MW gdp9.5780.49a
17171.48MW gdp9.6090.24a
1718-0.63MW gdp9.6400.42a
1719-1.79MW gdp9.6700.42a
17203.64MW gdp9.7010.35a
1721-4.06MW gdp9.7330.25a
1722-2.09MW gdp9.7640.47a
17232.29MW gdp9.7950.29a
1724-0.04MW gdp9.8260.25a
17251.93MW gdp9.8580.23a
17262.2MW gdp9.8890.28a
1727-1.3MW gdp9.9210.34a
17285.87MW gdp9.9530.46a
1729-2.01MW gdp9.9850.36a
1730-6.61MW gdp10.0170.38a
1731-0.91MW gdp10.0490.38a
1732-3.72MW gdp10.0810.31a
17330.86MW gdp10.1140.24a
17340.36MW gdp10.1460.49a
17351.91MW gdp10.1780.45a
1736-0.75MW gdp10.2110.45a
1737-1.34MW gdp10.2440.31a
1738-1.53MW gdp10.2770.28a
17390.67MW gdp10.3100.37a
17407.8MW gdp10.3430.50a
17411.33MW gdp10.3931.18a
1742-2.4MW gdp10.4440.89a
1743-1.1MW gdp10.4940.95a
1744-0.77MW gdp10.5451.02a
1745-2.57MW gdp10.5970.96a
17462.79MW gdp10.6481.04a
1747-1.49MW gdp10.7001.19a
17481.89MW gdp10.7521.28a
17491.1MW gdp10.8051.34a
1750-0.44MW gdp10.8570.97a
17510.46MW gdp10.9100.38a
17522.82MW gdp10.9630.46a
1753-1.74MW gdp11.0160.33a
1754-0.82MW gdp11.0700.34a
1755-1.84MW gdp11.1240.55a
17564.72MW gdp11.1840.83a
17577.24MW gdp11.2451.04a
1758-0.8MW gdp11.3061.31a
1759-6.76MW gdp11.3681.77a
17600.53MW gdp11.4302.10a
1761-2.19MW gdp11.4922.55a
17621.95MW gdp11.5552.41a
17635.39MW gdp11.6171.79a
17641MW gdp11.6810.68a
17651.05MW gdp11.7440.89a
17661.04MW gdp11.8080.65a
17673.19MW gdp11.8720.49a
1768-3.38MW gdp11.9370.44a
1769-3.97MW gdp12.0020.47a
17700.7MW gdp12.0670.57a
17714.58MW gdp12.1330.54a
17723.13MW gdp12.1990.61a
17730.08MW gdp12.2650.49a
17741.73MW gdp12.3320.51a
17750.7MW gdp12.3990.50a
1776-2.02MW gdp12.4671.01a
17772.83MW gdp12.5341.15a
17780.12MW gdp12.6031.41a
1779-2.99MW gdp12.6711.65a
1780-0.4MW gdp12.7401.97a
178112.51MW gdp12.8092.01a
17820.45MW gdp12.9162.39a
1783-1.97MW gdp13.0231.62a
1784-3.86MW gdp13.1311.74a
17850.34MW gdp13.2401.94a
17865.8MW gdp13.3490.66a
1787-0.53MW gdp13.4600.49a
1788-3.25MW gdp13.5720.58a
1789-1.54MW gdp13.6840.54a
17902.68MW gdp13.7980.62a
17910.51MW gdp13.9120.71a
17926.09MW gdp14.1340.64a
1793-1.01MW gdp14.3600.92a
17940.96MW gdp14.5891.91a
179511.01MW gdp14.8222.76a
17962.96MW gdp15.0592.84a
17970.96MW gdp15.2994.25a
17984.34MW gdp15.5442.82a
17997.4MW gdp15.7922.53a
18008.54MW gdp16.0442.89a
18017.13MW gdp16.3002.53a
1802-14.54MW gdp16.5083.73a
18030.73MW gdp16.7182.61a
18046.46MW gdp16.9312.21a
18053.17MW gdp17.1473.17a
18061.73MW gdp17.3653.63a
18070.43MW gdp17.5863.62a
18082.3MW gdp17.8113.67a
18096.19MW gdp18.0373.64a
18103.73MW gdp18.2673.79a
1811-3.3MW gdp18.5003.90a
18125.82MW gdp18.7364.08a
18132.14MW gdp18.9754.39a
1814-2.29MW gdp19.2175.66a
1815-7.47MW gdp19.4625.93a
1816-5.88MW gdp19.7104.93a
18172.1MW gdp19.9622.43a
18184.01MW gdp20.2171.50a
1819-5MW gdp20.4741.38a
1820-6.67MW gdp20.7361.57a
1821-5.91MW gdp21.0001.66a
1822-6.65MW gdp21.2911.78a
18231.57MW gdp21.5861.59a
18242.06MW gdp21.8861.48a
18258.23MW gdp22.1891.45a
1826-6.97MW gdp22.4971.55a
1827-3.67MW gdp22.8091.79a
1828-0.35MW gdp23.1251.76a
1829-4.1MW gdp23.4451.68a
1830-0.71MW gdp23.7701.71a
1831-4.66MW gdp24.1001.64a
1832-0.77MW gdp24.3661.72a
1833-3.13MW gdp24.6361.71a
18342.61MW gdp24.9081.49a
1835-0.3MW gdp25.1831.47a
18365.73MW gdp25.4621.35a
1837-1.82MW gdp25.7431.39a
18380.38MW gdp26.0281.51a
18391.98MW gdp26.3151.45a
1840-4.21MW gdp26.6061.63a
1841-1.44MW gdp26.9001.66a
1842-4.32MW gdp26.9591.81a
1843-3.39MW gdp27.0191.87a
18440.73MW gdp27.0791.83a
18451.73MW gdp27.1381.71a
1846-0.98MW gdp27.1981.93a
18476.26MW gdp27.2581.98a
1848-8.45MW gdp27.3192.35a
1849-0.56MW gdp27.3792.39a
1850-6.6MW gdp27.4392.14a
1851-1.53MW gdp27.5002.11a
18520.7MW gdp27.6562.05a
18539.4MW gdp27.8132.04a
18545.41MW gdp27.9712.16a
18550.67MW gdp28.1293.34a
18560.39MW gdp28.2895.85a
1857-1.39MW gdp28.4494.62a
1858-4.73MW gdp28.6113.11a
18593.14MW gdp28.7732.70a
18600.17MW gdp28.9363.24a
18612.51MW gdp29.1003.83a
18620.85MW gdp29.3413.72a
18633.6MW gdp29.5843.42a
18644.14MW gdp29.8292.99a
1865-2.52MW gdp30.0753.01a
18662.11MW gdp30.3242.90a
1867-1.35MW gdp30.5752.98a
1868-2.78MW gdp30.8283.44a
1869-0.06MW gdp31.0833.77a
1870-0.85MW gdp31.3412.73a
18711.75MW gdp31.4852.65a
18725.12MW gdp31.8742.73a
18733.68MW gdp32.1782.51a
1874-4.41MW gdp32.5022.76a
1875-3.38MW gdp32.8392.89a
1876-1.92MW gdp33.2002.98a
1877-1.97MW gdp33.5763.11a
1878-2.17MW gdp33.9443.56a
1879-1.94MW gdp34.3043.81a
1880-0.12MW gdp34.6233.59a
1881-0.79MW gdp34.9353.30a
18821.34MW gdp35.2073.46a
1883-2.56MW gdp35.4503.86a
1884-1.87MW gdp35.7243.67a
1885-1.27MW gdp36.0164.09a
18860.22MW gdp36.3145.22a
1887-0.22MW gdp36.5994.23a
18880.47MW gdp36.8814.05a
18892.06MW gdp37.1793.64a
18901.47MW gdp37.4854.19a
1891-2.6MW gdp37.8024.39a
1892-0.11MW gdp38.1344.37a
18930.76MW gdp38.4904.34a
18940.61MW gdp38.8594.35a
1895-1.07MW gdp39.2214.67a
1896-0.98MW gdp39.5995.09a
18971.28MW gdp39.9875.31a
18980.82MW gdp40.3815.27a
18992.35MW gdp40.7745.68a
19004.12MW gdp41.1558.52a
1901-1.43MW gdp41.53814.91a
1902-1MW gdp41.89316.11a
1903-0.28MW gdp42.24713.97a
1904-1.08MW gdp42.6119.23a
19050.46MW gdp42.9818.41a
19061.42MW gdp43.3617.82a
19071.54MW gdp43.7387.33a
1908-0.72MW gdp44.1247.29a
1909-0.35MW gdp44.5207.37a
19101.43MW gdp44.9167.76a
19110.6MW gdp42.1908.30a
19122.6MW gdp42.3748.42a
1913-0.16MW gdp42.5828.68a
1914-0.81MW gdp42.9579.20a
191514.34MW gdp41.36245.27a
191614.79MW gdp40.536125.97a
191724.32MW gdp39.781142.64a
191816.81MW gdp39.582149.04a
191915.24MW gdp42.944116.99a
192016.64MW gdp43.64631.36a
1921-8.17MW gdp43.90414.77a
1922-14.46MW gdp44.33212.79a
1923-7.53MW gdp44.5637.66a
1924-2.09MW gdp44.8867.86a
1925-0.26MW gdp45.0407.60a
1926-0.42MW gdp45.2188.12a
1927-1.94MW gdp45.4328.07a
1928-0.89MW gdp45.6228.21a
1929-0.84MW gdp45.7317.88a
1930-0.84MW gdp45.8897.91a
1931-1.83MW gdp46.0747.95a
1932-2.24MW gdp46.3357.85a
1933-1.39MW gdp46.5207.82a
1934-0.87MW gdp46.6668.27a
19350.79MW gdp46.8698.60a
19360.9MW gdp47.08110.18a
19373.46MW gdp47.28913.22a
19382.36MW gdp47.49413.62a
19392.89MW gdp47.54817.14a
194011.13MW gdp46.02937.64a
194111.46MW gdp44.870170.97a
19427.49MW gdp44.323201.80a
19434.44MW gdp48.262229.53a
19445MW gdp48.460222.68a
19451.64MW gdp48.669227.23a
19462.81MW gdp48.988190.57a
19479.08MW gdp49.53968.53a
19486.34MW gdp50.03333.76a
19493.19MW gdp50.33129.43a
19501.34MW gdp50.38228.47a
19518.55MW gdp50.28747.66a
19527.11MW gdp50.42954.60a
19531.83MW gdp50.59356.41a
19541.13MW gdp50.76554.05a
19554.91MW gdp50.94648.94a
19567.05MW gdp51.18447.84a
19574.08MW gdp51.43043.94a
19583.7MW gdp51.65342.22a
19590.76MW gdp51.95641.98a
19601.11MW gdp52.37342.52a
19613.88MW gdp52.80743.35a
19623.65MW gdp53.29246.54a
19631.55MW gdp53.62547.24a
19643.77MW gdp53.99148.63a
19656.05MW gdp54.35048.62a
19665.42MW gdp54.64348.23a
19673.03MW gdp54.95950.87a
19684.44MW gdp55.21449.14a
19696.75MW gdp55.46143.82a
19709.92MW gdp55.63242.84a
19718.57MW gdp55.92845.00a
19727.9MW gdp56.09745.68a
19739.39MW gdp56.22349.57a
197415.8MW gdp56.23649.32a
197525.7MW gdp56.22648.10a
197616.02MW gdp56.21651.88a
197714.17MW gdp56.19051.27a
197812.31MW gdp56.17853.43a
197914.98MW gdp56.24055.41a
198019.69MW gdp56.33054.99a
198112.31MW gdp56.35852.85a
19828.16MW gdp56.29156.18a
19835.78MW gdp56.31651.54a
19845.34MW gdp56.40952.61a
19855.63MW gdp56.55454.78a
19864.6MW gdp56.68455.19a
19875.82MW gdp56.80453.08a
19886.47MW gdp56.91651.23a
19898.21MW gdp57.07748.80a
19908.58MW gdp57.23848.72a
19916.64MW gdp57.43947.81a
19923.29MW gdp57.58549.32a
19933.07MW gdp57.71448.48a
19941.91MW gdp57.86247.07a
19952.68MW gdp58.02545.11a
19964.24MW gdp58.16441.75a
1997-0.15MW gdp58.31442.54a
19981.33MW gdp58.47540.79a
19991.42MW gdp58.68444.14a
20001.17MW gdp58.88645.33a
20011.55MW gdp59.11348.03a
20022.16MW gdp59.36644.62a
20032.46MW gdp59.63746.16a
20042.65MW gdp59.95048.57a
20053.02MW gdp60.41348.65a
20062.86MW gdp60.82749.90a
20072.31MW gdp61.31950.72a
20083.42MW gdp61.82451.33a
20090.872101.462.26154.42a
20101.322040.962.76055.74a
20111.942091.863.28557.78a

Legend:
a - actual outturn

Data Sources for 1700:
GDP: data from measuringworth.com (but now unsupported)
Spending: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics
Debt: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics

Data Sources for 2011:
GDP: OBR EFO supp. economy tables
Spending: HM Treasury PESA
Debt: OBR Public Finances Databank

back to chart |back to table | back to top

Top Spending Requests:

Find NATIONAL DEBT today and history.

See DEFENCE SPENDING.

Check OVERALL EXPENDITURE.

Check SPENDING breakdown, details and history.

Get WELFARE stats, HEALTH CARE stats, and EDUCATION stats.

DOWNLOAD spending or national debt.

Get BUDGET details and est. vs. actual.

See PIE CHARTS of total spending, central spending.

See CHART GALLERY of spending.

See COUNTRY SPENDING for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

See REGIONAL SPENDING for London etc.

See BAR CHARTS of spending, debt.

See PIE CHARTS here.

Make your own CUSTOM CHART.

Spending Data Sources

Expenditure data since 1983 comes from HM Treasury’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis reports.

Detailed table of spending data sources here.

Gross Domestic Product data comes from measuringworth.com.

Central government spending data begins in 1692.

Local authority spending data begins in 1868.

Site Search

Top Links

tablechartspend/gdpdebt/gdpuk gdpuk real gdp2016breakdowncentral+localcentrallocaluk budgethealtheducationdefencetransport2015

Data Sources for 1700_2011:

Sources for 1700:

GDP: data from measuringworth.com (but now unsupported)
Spending: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics
Debt: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics

Sources for 2011:

GDP: OBR EFO supp. economy tables
Spending: HM Treasury PESA
Debt: OBR Public Finances Databank

> spending data sources for other years

On April 23, 2026 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its annual Public Sector Finances report. On April 30, 2026 we updated ukpublicrevenue.co.uk with the new public finance data.

UK Government Revenue
£ billion2025-26
forecast
2025-26
actual
Central Government£1,071.9£1,136.9
Local Authorities£69.1£70.1
Total UK Revenue£1,141.0£1,207.0

Revenue outturn data comes from the Office for National Statistics' March 2026 Public Sector Finances report using a spreadsheet file pusf.csv labeled "Public sector finances time series". Outturn revenue data for ukpublicrevenue.co.uk now extends from 1692 to 2025-26. 

Quick Links

Get spending chart.

Download spending table.

Download spending data series.

Review data sources.

Masthead

ukpublicspending.co.uk was designed and executed by:

Christopher Chantrill.

Report bugs here.

presented by Christopher Chantrill

Data Sources  •  Follow @chrischantrill  •  Contact