For the year ending in March 2025:
Total UK public spending, including central government and local authorities, is estimated at
£1,155.9 billion.
This page shows the current trends in UK national spending. Also see charts on UK spending history.
Chart S.04t: Major Spending Programs
UK public spending in 1990 at the end of the premiership of Margaret Thatcher was 30 percent of GDP. Major spending functions were Pensions at 3.58 percent GDP; Health Care at 3.66 percent GDP; Education at 3.68 percent GDP and Welfare at 5.48 percent GDP.
By 2000 UK public spending was up a little at 31.1 percent of GDP. Major spending functions were Pensions, up sharply at 6.00 percent GDP; Health Care at 4.52 percent GDP; Education at 3.90 percent GDP and Welfare at 5.38 percent GDP.
By 2010 UK public spending was up sharply at 43.1 percent of GDP in the aftermath of the global credit crisis. Major spending functions were Pensions, up to 7.45 percent GDP; Health Care up to 6.94 percent GDP; Education up to 5.67 percent GDP and Welfare at 7.09 percent GDP.
By 2020 UK public spending was down to 39.32 percent of GDP just before COVID. Major spending functions were Pensions, down to 7.15 percent GDP; Health Care up to 7.30 percent GDP; Education down to 4.03 percent GDP and Welfare down to 5.33 percent GDP.
By 2023 after the COVID era UK public spending was up to 45.29 percent of GDP. Major spending functions were Pensions, at 7.10 percent GDP; Health Care up to 8.45 percent GDP; Education at 4.21 percent GDP and Welfare at 5.88 percent GDP.
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.
Sources for 2020:
GDP: OBR EFO supp. economy tables
Spending: HM Treasury PESA
Debt: OBR Public Finances Databank
Sources for 2025:
GDP: OBR EFO supp. economy tables
Spending: HM Treasury PESA
Debt: OBR Public Finances Databank
> spending data sources for other years
On April 23, 2024 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its annual Public Sector Finances report. On May 6, 2024 we updated ukpublicrevenue.co.uk with the new public finance data.
£ billion | 2023-24 forecast | 2023-24 actual |
Central Government | £1,035.1 | £1,101.0 |
Local Authorities | £66.9 | £63.3 |
Total UK Revenue | £1,102.0 | £1,073.3 |
Revenue outturn data comes from the Office for National Statistics' March 2024 Public Sector Finances report using a spreadsheet file labeled "Public sector finances time series". Outturn revenue data for ukpublicrevenue.co.uk now extends from 1692 to 2023-24.
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