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.

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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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.

Year Inflation GDP-UK £ trillion nominal Population-UK million Public Net Debt-total £ trillion nominal 1950 1.34 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 50.382 0.03 a 1951 8.55 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 50.287 0.03 a 1952 7.11 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 50.429 0.03 a 1953 1.83 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 50.593 0.03 a 1954 1.13 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 50.765 0.03 a 1955 4.91 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 50.946 0.03 a 1956 7.05 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 51.184 0.03 a 1957 4.08 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 51.430 0.03 a 1958 3.7 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 51.653 0.03 a 1959 0.76 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 51.956 0.03 a 1960 1.11 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 52.373 0.03 a 1961 3.88 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 52.807 0.03 a 1962 3.65 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 53.292 0.03 a 1963 1.55 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 53.625 0.03 a 1964 3.77 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 53.991 0.03 a 1965 6.05 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 54.350 0.03 a 1966 5.42 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 54.643 0.03 a 1967 3.03 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 54.959 0.03 a 1968 4.44 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 55.214 0.03 a 1969 6.75 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 55.461 0.03 a 1970 9.92 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 55.632 0.03 a 1971 8.57 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 55.928 0.03 a 1972 7.9 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.097 0.04 a 1973 9.39 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.223 0.04 a 1974 15.8 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.236 0.04 a 1975 25.7 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.226 0.05 a 1976 16.02 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.216 0.06 a 1977 14.17 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.190 0.07 a 1978 12.31 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.178 0.08 a 1979 14.98 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.240 0.09 a 1980 19.69 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.330 0.10 a 1981 12.31 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.358 0.11 a 1982 8.16 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.291 0.13 a 1983 5.78 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.316 0.13 a 1984 5.34 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.409 0.14 a 1985 5.63 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.554 0.16 a 1986 4.6 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.684 0.16 a 1987 5.82 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.804 0.17 a 1988 6.47 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 56.916 0.17 a 1989 8.21 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 57.077 0.15 a 1990 8.58 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 57.238 0.15 a 1991 6.64 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 57.439 0.15 a 1992 3.29 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 57.585 0.17 a 1993 3.07 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 57.714 0.20 a 1994 1.91 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 57.862 0.25 a 1995 2.68 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 58.025 0.29 a 1996 4.24 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 58.164 0.32 a 1997 -0.15 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 58.314 0.35 a 1998 1.33 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 58.475 0.36 a 1999 1.42 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 58.684 0.36 a 2000 1.17 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 58.886 0.35 a 2001 1.55 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 59.113 0.32 a 2002 2.16 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 59.366 0.33 a 2003 2.46 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 59.637 0.37 a 2004 2.65 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 59.950 0.40 a 2005 3.02 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 60.413 0.46 a 2006 2.86 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 60.827 0.50 a 2007 2.31 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 61.319 0.54 a 2008 3.42 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 61.824 0.57 a 2009 0.87 measuringworth.com/ukgdp 62.261 0.79 a 2010 1.32 1.5581 62.760 1.03 a 2011 1.94 1.6272 63.285 1.17 a 2012 1.78 1.6723 63.705 1.26 a 2013 1.88 1.7275 64.106 1.37 a 2014 1.96 1.8008 64.597 1.46 a 2015 1.25 1.8795 65.110 1.55 a 2016 0.74 1.9315 65.648 1.60 a 2017 2.31 2.0158 66.040 1.71 a 2018 1.61 2.0998 66.436 1.76 a 2019 2.13 2.1702 66.797 1.78 a 2020 2.39 2.2408 67.844 1.82 a Legend: a - actual outturn Data Sources for 1950: 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 Data Sources for 2020: GDP: obr.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2018/ OBR EFO supp. economy tables Spending: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/public-expenditure-statistical-analyses-pesa HM Treasury PESA Debt: obr.uk/data/ OBR Public Finances Databank

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 National Debt
Fiscal Years 1950 to 2020
Year	Inflation	GDP-UK £ trillion nominal	Population-UK million	Public Net Debt -total -total £ trillion nominal
1950	1.34	MW gdp	50.382	0.03	a
1951	8.55	MW gdp	50.287	0.03	a
1952	7.11	MW gdp	50.429	0.03	a
1953	1.83	MW gdp	50.593	0.03	a
1954	1.13	MW gdp	50.765	0.03	a
1955	4.91	MW gdp	50.946	0.03	a
1956	7.05	MW gdp	51.184	0.03	a
1957	4.08	MW gdp	51.430	0.03	a
1958	3.7	MW gdp	51.653	0.03	a
1959	0.76	MW gdp	51.956	0.03	a
1960	1.11	MW gdp	52.373	0.03	a
1961	3.88	MW gdp	52.807	0.03	a
1962	3.65	MW gdp	53.292	0.03	a
1963	1.55	MW gdp	53.625	0.03	a
1964	3.77	MW gdp	53.991	0.03	a
1965	6.05	MW gdp	54.350	0.03	a
1966	5.42	MW gdp	54.643	0.03	a
1967	3.03	MW gdp	54.959	0.03	a
1968	4.44	MW gdp	55.214	0.03	a
1969	6.75	MW gdp	55.461	0.03	a
1970	9.92	MW gdp	55.632	0.03	a
1971	8.57	MW gdp	55.928	0.03	a
1972	7.9	MW gdp	56.097	0.04	a
1973	9.39	MW gdp	56.223	0.04	a
1974	15.8	MW gdp	56.236	0.04	a
1975	25.7	MW gdp	56.226	0.05	a
1976	16.02	MW gdp	56.216	0.06	a
1977	14.17	MW gdp	56.190	0.07	a
1978	12.31	MW gdp	56.178	0.08	a
1979	14.98	MW gdp	56.240	0.09	a
1980	19.69	MW gdp	56.330	0.10	a
1981	12.31	MW gdp	56.358	0.11	a
1982	8.16	MW gdp	56.291	0.13	a
1983	5.78	MW gdp	56.316	0.13	a
1984	5.34	MW gdp	56.409	0.14	a
1985	5.63	MW gdp	56.554	0.16	a
1986	4.6	MW gdp	56.684	0.16	a
1987	5.82	MW gdp	56.804	0.17	a
1988	6.47	MW gdp	56.916	0.17	a
1989	8.21	MW gdp	57.077	0.15	a
1990	8.58	MW gdp	57.238	0.15	a
1991	6.64	MW gdp	57.439	0.15	a
1992	3.29	MW gdp	57.585	0.17	a
1993	3.07	MW gdp	57.714	0.20	a
1994	1.91	MW gdp	57.862	0.25	a
1995	2.68	MW gdp	58.025	0.29	a
1996	4.24	MW gdp	58.164	0.32	a
1997	-0.15	MW gdp	58.314	0.35	a
1998	1.33	MW gdp	58.475	0.36	a
1999	1.42	MW gdp	58.684	0.36	a
2000	1.17	MW gdp	58.886	0.35	a
2001	1.55	MW gdp	59.113	0.32	a
2002	2.16	MW gdp	59.366	0.33	a
2003	2.46	MW gdp	59.637	0.37	a
2004	2.65	MW gdp	59.950	0.40	a
2005	3.02	MW gdp	60.413	0.46	a
2006	2.86	MW gdp	60.827	0.50	a
2007	2.31	MW gdp	61.319	0.54	a
2008	3.42	MW gdp	61.824	0.57	a
2009	0.87	1.5827	62.261	0.79	a
2010	1.32	1.5581	62.760	1.03	a
2011	1.94	1.6272	63.285	1.17	a
2012	1.78	1.6723	63.705	1.26	a
2013	1.88	1.7275	64.106	1.37	a
2014	1.96	1.8008	64.597	1.46	a
2015	1.25	1.8795	65.110	1.55	a
2016	0.74	1.9315	65.648	1.60	a
2017	2.31	2.0158	66.040	1.71	a
2018	1.61	2.0998	66.436	1.76	a
2019	2.13	2.1702	66.797	1.78	a
2020	2.39	2.2408	67.844	1.82	a
Legend: a - actual outturn Data Sources for 1950: GDP: Measuring Worth - UK GDP Spending: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics Debt: B.R. Mitchell, British Historical Statistics Data Sources for 2020: GDP: OBR EFO supp. economy tables Spending: HM Treasury PESA Debt: OBR Public Finances Databank

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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 1950_2020:

Sources for 1950:

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

Sources for 2020:

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

> spending data sources for other years

UK Public Revenue Outturn -- March 2026

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**
£ billion	2025-26 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.

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UK Revenue and Deficit Forecast -- March 2026

On March 11, 2026 we updated UK revenue forecast data for 2025-26 to 2030-31 from the Office of B...

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On July 23, 2025, HM Treasury published its blog

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