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.

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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.

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.

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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.

Year Inflation GDP-UK £ billion nominal Population-UK million Total Spending-fed £ billion nominal 1800 8.54 0.3398 16.044 0.05 a 1801 7.13 0.3671 16.300 0.05 a 1802 -14.54 0.318 16.508 0.07 a 1803 0.73 0.3137 16.718 0.05 a 1804 6.46 0.3337 16.931 0.05 a 1805 3.17 0.3645 17.147 0.06 a 1806 1.73 0.3694 17.365 0.07 a 1807 0.43 0.3951 17.586 0.07 a 1808 2.3 0.3858 17.811 0.07 a 1809 6.19 0.4218 18.037 0.08 a 1810 3.73 0.4647 18.267 0.08 a 1811 -3.3 0.4446 18.500 0.08 a 1812 5.82 0.4522 18.736 0.09 a 1813 2.14 0.4864 18.975 0.09 a 1814 -2.29 0.4645 19.217 0.11 a 1815 -7.47 0.4794 19.462 0.11 a 1816 -5.88 0.4261 19.710 0.10 a 1817 2.1 0.4422 19.962 0.07 a 1818 4.01 0.4595 20.217 0.06 a 1819 -5 0.429 20.474 0.06 a 1820 -6.67 0.4352 20.736 0.06 a 1821 -5.91 0.4169 21.000 0.06 a 1822 -6.65 0.3972 21.291 0.06 a 1823 1.57 0.4151 21.586 0.06 a 1824 2.06 0.4464 21.886 0.05 a 1825 8.23 0.4932 22.189 0.06 a 1826 -6.97 0.4325 22.497 0.05 a 1827 -3.67 0.4499 22.809 0.06 a 1828 -0.35 0.4497 23.125 0.06 a 1829 -4.1 0.4351 23.445 0.05 a 1830 -0.71 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 23.770 0.05 a 1831 -4.66 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 24.100 0.05 a 1832 -0.77 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 24.366 0.05 a 1833 -3.13 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 24.636 0.05 a 1834 2.61 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 24.908 0.05 a 1835 -0.3 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 25.183 0.05 a 1836 5.73 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 25.462 0.07 a 1837 -1.82 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 25.743 0.05 a 1838 0.38 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 26.028 0.05 a 1839 1.98 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 26.315 0.05 a 1840 -4.21 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 26.606 0.05 a 1841 -1.44 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 26.900 0.05 a 1842 -4.32 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 26.959 0.05 a 1843 -3.39 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.019 0.06 a 1844 0.73 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.079 0.06 a 1845 1.73 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.138 0.05 a 1846 -0.98 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.198 0.05 a 1847 6.26 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.258 0.06 a 1848 -8.45 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.319 0.06 a 1849 -0.56 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.379 0.06 a 1850 -6.6 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.439 0.06 a 1851 -1.53 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.500 0.05 a 1852 0.7 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.656 0.05 a 1853 9.4 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.813 0.06 a 1854 5.41 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 27.971 0.06 a 1855 0.67 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 28.129 0.07 a 1856 0.39 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 28.289 0.09 a 1857 -1.39 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 28.449 0.08 a 1858 -4.73 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 28.611 0.07 a 1859 3.14 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 28.773 0.06 a 1860 0.17 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 28.936 0.07 a 1861 2.51 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 29.100 0.07 a 1862 0.85 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 29.341 0.07 a 1863 3.6 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 29.584 0.07 a 1864 4.14 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 29.829 0.07 a 1865 -2.52 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 30.075 0.07 a 1866 2.11 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 30.324 0.07 a 1867 -1.35 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 30.575 0.07 a 1868 -2.78 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 30.828 0.07 a 1869 -0.06 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 31.083 0.08 a 1870 -0.85 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 31.341 0.07 a 1871 1.75 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 31.485 0.07 a 1872 5.12 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 31.874 0.07 a 1873 3.68 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 32.178 0.07 a 1874 -4.41 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 32.502 0.07 a 1875 -3.38 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 32.839 0.07 a 1876 -1.92 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 33.200 0.07 a 1877 -1.97 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 33.576 0.08 a 1878 -2.17 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 33.944 0.08 a 1879 -1.94 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 34.304 0.08 a 1880 -0.12 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 34.623 0.08 a 1881 -0.79 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 34.935 0.08 a 1882 1.34 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 35.207 0.08 a 1883 -2.56 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 35.450 0.09 a 1884 -1.87 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 35.724 0.09 a 1885 -1.27 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 36.016 0.09 a 1886 0.22 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 36.314 0.09 a 1887 -0.22 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 36.599 0.09 a 1888 0.47 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 36.881 0.09 a 1889 2.06 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 37.179 0.09 a 1890 1.47 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 37.485 0.09 a 1891 -2.6 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 37.802 0.09 a 1892 -0.11 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 38.134 0.10 a 1893 0.76 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 38.490 0.10 a 1894 0.61 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 38.859 0.10 a 1895 -1.07 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 39.221 0.10 a 1896 -0.98 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 39.599 0.11 a 1897 1.28 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 39.987 0.11 a 1898 0.82 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 40.381 0.11 a 1899 2.35 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 40.774 0.12 a 1900 4.12 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 41.155 0.14 a Legend: a - actual outturn Data Sources for 1800: GDP: data from measuringworth.com (but now unsupported) Spending: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Historical-Statistics-B-Mitchell/dp/1107402441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366835878&sr=8-1 B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics Debt: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Historical-Statistics-B-Mitchell/dp/1107402441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366835878&sr=8-1 B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics Data Sources for 1900: GDP: www.measuringworth.org/ukgdp/ Measuring Worth - UK GDP Spending: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Historical-Statistics-B-Mitchell/dp/1107402441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366835878&sr=8-1 B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics Debt: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Historical-Statistics-B-Mitchell/dp/1107402441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366835878&sr=8-1 B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics

View Data Series

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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.

Total Spending
Fiscal Years 1800 to 1900
Year	Inflation	GDP-UK £ billion nominal	Population-UK million	Total Spending -central -central £ billion nominal
1800	8.54	MW gdp	16.044	0.05	a
1801	7.13	MW gdp	16.300	0.05	a
1802	-14.54	MW gdp	16.508	0.07	a
1803	0.73	MW gdp	16.718	0.05	a
1804	6.46	MW gdp	16.931	0.05	a
1805	3.17	MW gdp	17.147	0.06	a
1806	1.73	MW gdp	17.365	0.07	a
1807	0.43	MW gdp	17.586	0.07	a
1808	2.3	MW gdp	17.811	0.07	a
1809	6.19	MW gdp	18.037	0.08	a
1810	3.73	MW gdp	18.267	0.08	a
1811	-3.3	MW gdp	18.500	0.08	a
1812	5.82	MW gdp	18.736	0.09	a
1813	2.14	MW gdp	18.975	0.09	a
1814	-2.29	MW gdp	19.217	0.11	a
1815	-7.47	MW gdp	19.462	0.11	a
1816	-5.88	MW gdp	19.710	0.10	a
1817	2.1	MW gdp	19.962	0.07	a
1818	4.01	MW gdp	20.217	0.06	a
1819	-5	MW gdp	20.474	0.06	a
1820	-6.67	MW gdp	20.736	0.06	a
1821	-5.91	MW gdp	21.000	0.06	a
1822	-6.65	MW gdp	21.291	0.06	a
1823	1.57	MW gdp	21.586	0.06	a
1824	2.06	MW gdp	21.886	0.05	a
1825	8.23	MW gdp	22.189	0.06	a
1826	-6.97	MW gdp	22.497	0.05	a
1827	-3.67	MW gdp	22.809	0.06	a
1828	-0.35	MW gdp	23.125	0.06	a
1829	-4.1	MW gdp	23.445	0.05	a
1830	-0.71	MW gdp	23.770	0.05	a
1831	-4.66	MW gdp	24.100	0.05	a
1832	-0.77	MW gdp	24.366	0.05	a
1833	-3.13	MW gdp	24.636	0.05	a
1834	2.61	MW gdp	24.908	0.05	a
1835	-0.3	MW gdp	25.183	0.05	a
1836	5.73	MW gdp	25.462	0.07	a
1837	-1.82	MW gdp	25.743	0.05	a
1838	0.38	MW gdp	26.028	0.05	a
1839	1.98	MW gdp	26.315	0.05	a
1840	-4.21	MW gdp	26.606	0.05	a
1841	-1.44	MW gdp	26.900	0.05	a
1842	-4.32	MW gdp	26.959	0.05	a
1843	-3.39	MW gdp	27.019	0.06	a
1844	0.73	MW gdp	27.079	0.06	a
1845	1.73	MW gdp	27.138	0.05	a
1846	-0.98	MW gdp	27.198	0.05	a
1847	6.26	MW gdp	27.258	0.06	a
1848	-8.45	MW gdp	27.319	0.06	a
1849	-0.56	MW gdp	27.379	0.06	a
1850	-6.6	MW gdp	27.439	0.06	a
1851	-1.53	MW gdp	27.500	0.05	a
1852	0.7	MW gdp	27.656	0.05	a
1853	9.4	MW gdp	27.813	0.06	a
1854	5.41	MW gdp	27.971	0.06	a
1855	0.67	MW gdp	28.129	0.07	a
1856	0.39	MW gdp	28.289	0.09	a
1857	-1.39	MW gdp	28.449	0.08	a
1858	-4.73	MW gdp	28.611	0.07	a
1859	3.14	MW gdp	28.773	0.06	a
1860	0.17	MW gdp	28.936	0.07	a
1861	2.51	MW gdp	29.100	0.07	a
1862	0.85	MW gdp	29.341	0.07	a
1863	3.6	MW gdp	29.584	0.07	a
1864	4.14	MW gdp	29.829	0.07	a
1865	-2.52	MW gdp	30.075	0.07	a
1866	2.11	MW gdp	30.324	0.07	a
1867	-1.35	MW gdp	30.575	0.07	a
1868	-2.78	MW gdp	30.828	0.07	a
1869	-0.06	MW gdp	31.083	0.08	a
1870	-0.85	MW gdp	31.341	0.07	a
1871	1.75	MW gdp	31.485	0.07	a
1872	5.12	MW gdp	31.874	0.07	a
1873	3.68	MW gdp	32.178	0.07	a
1874	-4.41	MW gdp	32.502	0.07	a
1875	-3.38	MW gdp	32.839	0.07	a
1876	-1.92	MW gdp	33.200	0.07	a
1877	-1.97	MW gdp	33.576	0.08	a
1878	-2.17	MW gdp	33.944	0.08	a
1879	-1.94	MW gdp	34.304	0.08	a
1880	-0.12	MW gdp	34.623	0.08	a
1881	-0.79	MW gdp	34.935	0.08	a
1882	1.34	MW gdp	35.207	0.08	a
1883	-2.56	MW gdp	35.450	0.09	a
1884	-1.87	MW gdp	35.724	0.09	a
1885	-1.27	MW gdp	36.016	0.09	a
1886	0.22	MW gdp	36.314	0.09	a
1887	-0.22	MW gdp	36.599	0.09	a
1888	0.47	MW gdp	36.881	0.09	a
1889	2.06	MW gdp	37.179	0.09	a
1890	1.47	MW gdp	37.485	0.09	a
1891	-2.6	MW gdp	37.802	0.09	a
1892	-0.11	MW gdp	38.134	0.10	a
1893	0.76	MW gdp	38.490	0.10	a
1894	0.61	MW gdp	38.859	0.10	a
1895	-1.07	MW gdp	39.221	0.10	a
1896	-0.98	MW gdp	39.599	0.11	a
1897	1.28	MW gdp	39.987	0.11	a
1898	0.82	MW gdp	40.381	0.11	a
1899	2.35	MW gdp	40.774	0.12	a
1900	4.12	MW gdp	41.155	0.14	a
Legend: a - actual outturn Data Sources for 1800: 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 1900: GDP: Measuring Worth - UK GDP Spending: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics Debt: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics

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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.

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Data Sources for 1800_1900:

Sources for 1800:

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

Sources for 1900:

GDP: Measuring Worth - UK GDP
Spending: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics
Debt: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics

> spending data sources for other years

PESA 2025 Update

On July 23, 2025, HM Treasury published its Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) for 2025. ukpublicspending.co.uk uses the PESA tables of public spending at the "sub-function" level as its major data source for UK public spending.

ukpublicspending.co.uk has now updated its spending tables using data from PESA 2025. The update includes outturn spending data for 2023-24, and plans data for 2024-25. ukpublicspending.co.uk uses PESA's Table 6.4 for Central Government expenditure, Table 7.4 for Local Authority expenditure, and Table 8.3 for Public Corporation capital expenditure.

Since HM Treasury does not provide plans estimates for future Local Authority spending, ukpublicspending.co.uk provides "guesstimates" instead. This is done by extending the percentage increase in spending between 2023-24 and 2024-25 for each sub-function for the plans year. It is assumed that local authority spending reductions will not carry through to plans years.

Country and Region spending has been updated up to 2023-24. These are obtained from Chapters 9 and 10 in the PESA document.

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Uk Public Revenue Outturn -- March 2025

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UK GDP and Public Debt Update -- March 2025

On April 30, 2025 ukpublicspending.co.uk updated UK GDP and public debt outturn and forecasts rel...

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Budget News

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Personal allowance now close to £10,000.

Autumn Statement 2011
Chancellor George Osborne introduces six more years of pain.

Budget 2011: George Osborne set for 8bn pound windfall
Treasury revenue up, so no spending cuts in Budget 2011

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