Annual government: Compensation of employees in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Annual government: Compensation of employees was 286,931 National currency in 2024. ▲ Rising
Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of in United Kingdom, 1995–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in National currency.
Analysis
In 2024, annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United Kingdom stood at 286,931 National currency. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is up 6.8% on the previous year and up 67.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United Kingdom peaked at 286,931 National currency in 2024 and was at its lowest, 78,230 National currency, in 1995.
That places United Kingdom 15th out of 29 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Annual government: Compensation of employees in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | National currency | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 78,230 National currency | — |
| 1996 | 82,453 National currency | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 84,400 National currency | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 86,072 National currency | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 90,048 National currency | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 95,601 National currency | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 103,954 National currency | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 111,430 National currency | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 122,320 National currency | +9.8% |
| 2004 | 133,686 National currency | +9.3% |
| 2005 | 143,871 National currency | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 151,885 National currency | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 156,451 National currency | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 160,580 National currency | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 165,870 National currency | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 171,797 National currency | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 170,722 National currency | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 170,707 National currency | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 167,253 National currency | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 171,243 National currency | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 173,610 National currency | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 179,449 National currency | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 185,222 National currency | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 190,755 National currency | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 203,172 National currency | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 217,346 National currency | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 230,418 National currency | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 243,973 National currency | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 268,585 National currency | +10.1% |
| 2024 | 286,931 National currency | +6.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 286,931 National currency is above the median for high income countries, which is 283,344 National currency, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 286,931 National currency is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 197,152 National currency, 1.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 84,241 National currency | 78,230 National currency | 90,048 National currency | 5 |
| 2000s | 134,565 National currency | 95,601 National currency | 165,870 National currency | 10 |
| 2010s | 178,393 National currency | 167,253 National currency | 203,172 National currency | 10 |
| 2020s | 249,451 National currency | 217,346 National currency | 286,931 National currency | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More public sector data for United Kingdom
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 609.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 9.28 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0002 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 36.23 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United Kingdom?
- Annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of in United Kingdom was 286,931 National currency in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 286,931 National currency in 2024.
- What is the lowest annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 78,230 National currency in 1995.
- How does United Kingdom rank for annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of?
- United Kingdom ranks 15th out of 29 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual government expenditure by function (cofog) — compensation of rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Annual government expenditure by function (COFOG) — Compensation of employees. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This table provides a breakdown of government expenditure according to the Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG), which shows how much governments spend in areas such as health, education, environmental protection, defence and servicing public debt. The presentation is on a country-by-country basis. Users are recommended to select one country (or area) at a time in the ‘Reference area’ filter. Data is presented for each country in national currency as well as in euros for the European Union and the euro area. Data are also available, for most countries, for the sub-sectors of general government. Specific categories of expenditure (such as health and education) can be selected using the ‘Expenditure’ filter, while details of the type of expenditure such as compensation of employees (payment of wages and salaries and employers’ social contributions) can be selected using the ‘Transaction’ filter. For government final consumption expenditure a breakdown is also provided, in the ‘Transaction’ filter, between individual and collective consumption expenditure. Data is for General Government. For most countries, results are also available for the General Government sub-sectors: central, local and state (regional) government and social security. These sub-sectors can be selected using the ‘Institutional sector’ filter. These indicators were presented in the previous dissemination system in the SNA_TABLE11 dataset. See ANA Changes for information on changes in methodology: ANA Changes Explore also the Government Finances and Public Sector Debt webpage: Government Finances and Public Sector Debt webpage OECD statistics contact: STAT.Contact@oecd.org