UK social protection spending as a share of GDP 2026| ��ƽ��

Social protection spending as a share of GDP in the United Kingdom from 1955/56 to 2025/26

Characteristic	Expenditure as a share of GDP
2025/26	13.3%
2024/25	13.2%
2023/24	13.1%
2022/23	12.2%
2021/22	12.5%
2020/21	14.2%
2019/20	12.2%
2018/19	12.5%
2017/18	12.7%
2016/17	13.1%
2015/16	13.6%
2014/15	13.8%
2013/14	14%
2012/13	14.6%
2011/12	14.6%
2010/11	14.1%
2009/10	14.2%
2008/09	12.8%
2007/08	12%
2006/07	11.9%
2005/06	12%
2004/05	12.2%
2003/04	12.2%
2002/03*	12%
2001/02	11.5%
2000/01	11.2%
1999/00	11.1%
1998/99	11.1%
1997/98	11.3%
1996/97*	11.7%
1995/96	11.3%
1994/95	11.4%
1993/94	11.6%
1992/93	11.5%
1991/92	10.5%
1990/91	9.5%
1989/90	9.1%
1988/89	9.2%
1987/88	10.3%
1986/87	11.2%
1985/86	11.3%
1984/85	11.5%
1983/84	11.5%
1982/83	11.3%
1981/82	11.2%
1980/81	11.1%
1979/80	11%
1978/79*	11.1%
1977/78	8.3%
1976/77	8.1%
1975/76	7.9%
1974/75	7.2%
1973/74	6.8%
1972/73	6.8%
1971/72	6.7%
1970/71	6.4%
1969/70	6.9%
1968/69	7.1%
1967/68	6.8%
1966/67	6.4%
1965/66	6.3%
1964/65	5.9%
1963/64	6.1%
1962/63	5.6%
1961/62	5.9%
1960/61	5.4%
1959/60	5.8%
1958/59	5.8%
1957/58	5%
1956/57	4.9%
1955/56*	4.7%

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Release date

July 2026

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Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

April 1, 1955 to March 31, 2026

Supplementary notes

*Data between 1955/56 and 1977/78 corresponds to Social Security spending only. Financial years from 1978/79 include Housing and Community Amenities, as well as Long-Term Care from 1996/97 onwards. From 2002/03 onwards, spending includes all social protection spending.

This statistic is using original data from the Government Digital Service and includes copyright material from © Crown, licensed under the

Data before 2002/03 sourced from the

Citation formats

In 2025/26, the UK spent approximately 13.3 percent of its GDP on social protection, up from 13.2 percent from the previous year.