Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on was 0.8366 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.8366
Change on year
up 29.7%
World rank
20th
of 78 countries
All-time high
1.35
in 1997
All-time low
-1.6
in 2000
Years of data
49
1972–2020

Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1972–2020

-2-101197219962020

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 0.8366 for capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in 2020.

That represents a change of up 29.7% on the previous year and up 41.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 1.35 in 1997 and was at its lowest, -1.6, in 2000.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 20th out of 78 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on this item to total general government expenditure on this, Percent (Central government) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1972 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1972 0.2446
1973 0.2188 -10.5%
1974 0.221 +1.0%
1975 0.2488 +12.6%
1976 0.2594 +4.3%
1977 0.2768 +6.7%
1978 0.2837 +2.5%
1979 0.3008 +6.0%
1980 0.3278 +9.0%
1981 0.4019 +22.6%
1982 0.53 +31.9%
1983 0.4722 -10.9%
1984 0.4119 -12.8%
1985 0.5209 +26.4%
1986 0.4773 -8.4%
1987 0.4808 +0.7%
1988 0.5963 +24.0%
1989 0.5438 -8.8%
1990 0.5397 -0.8%
1991 0.6006 +11.3%
1992 0.5769 -3.9%
1993 0.5737 -0.5%
1994 0.5309 -7.5%
1995 0.6504 +22.5%
1996 0.7782 +19.7%
1997 1.35 +74.1%
1998 0.981 -27.6%
1999 0.8583 -12.5%
2000 -1.6 -287.0%
2001 0.248 -115.4%
2002 0.1505 -39.3%
2003 0.1734 +15.2%
2004 0.5838 +236.7%
2005 0.7471 +28.0%
2006 0.6549 -12.3%
2007 0.6305 -3.7%
2008 0.6495 +3.0%
2009 0.604 -7.0%
2010 0.592 -2.0%
2011 0.5293 -10.6%
2012 0.5354 +1.2%
2013 0.5936 +10.9%
2014 0.685 +15.4%
2015 0.6516 -4.9%
2016 0.5695 -12.6%
2017 0.5379 -5.5%
2018 0.5622 +4.5%
2019 0.6452 +14.8%
2020 0.8366 +29.7%

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 0.8366 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5506, 1.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 0.8366 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.5683, 1.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2000 -287.0% 0.8583 -1.6
2004 +236.7% 0.1734 0.5838
2001 +115.4% -1.6 0.248

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.2567 0.2188 0.3008 8
1980s 0.4763 0.3278 0.5963 10
1990s 0.7444 0.5309 1.35 10
2000s 0.2837 -1.6 0.7471 10
2010s 0.5902 0.5293 0.685 10
2020s 0.8366 0.8366 0.8366 1

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 17 Paraguay 0.8778 compare
  2. 18 Portugal 0.8502 compare
  3. 19 Mauritius 0.8397 compare
  4. 21 Kyrgyzstan 0.8266 compare
  5. 22 Türkiye 0.8262 compare
  6. 23 Ireland 0.8152 compare

See the full ranking of 78 places →

More public sector data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 0.8366 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 1.35 in 1997.
What is the lowest capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was -1.6 in 2000.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 20th out of 78 countries with data for 2020.
Is capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 41.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on this item to total general government expenditure on this, Percent (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/capital-spending-ratio-of-this-level-of-government-s-expenditure-on-this-item-to-total/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on this item to total general government expenditure on this, Percent (Central government)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
78 places, 1,624 data points, 1972–2020
Last refreshed

The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.