Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) was -0.3743 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Deficit, Percent of own spending in United Kingdom, 1990–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2020, deficit, percent of own spending in United Kingdom stood at -0.3743. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 226.7% on the previous year and down 96.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deficit, percent of own spending in United Kingdom peaked at -0.0313 in 2000 and was at its lowest, -0.3743, in 2020.
United Kingdom ranks 45th of 66 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -0.0337 | — |
| 1991 | -0.0839 | +149.0% |
| 1992 | -0.2089 | +149.0% |
| 1993 | -0.2521 | +20.7% |
| 1994 | -0.2105 | -16.5% |
| 1995 | -0.243 | +15.5% |
| 1996 | -0.2132 | -12.3% |
| 1997 | -0.143 | -32.9% |
| 1998 | -0.0845 | -40.9% |
| 1999 | -0.0567 | -32.8% |
| 2000 | -0.0313 | -44.8% |
| 2001 | -0.0724 | +131.1% |
| 2002 | -0.1522 | +110.1% |
| 2003 | -0.1979 | +30.0% |
| 2004 | -0.183 | -7.5% |
| 2005 | -0.1773 | -3.1% |
| 2006 | -0.1787 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | -0.1722 | -3.6% |
| 2008 | -0.2322 | +34.8% |
| 2009 | -0.3585 | +54.4% |
| 2010 | -0.1905 | -46.9% |
| 2011 | -0.2888 | +51.6% |
| 2012 | -0.2961 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | -0.2141 | -27.7% |
| 2014 | -0.2209 | +3.2% |
| 2015 | -0.1833 | -17.0% |
| 2016 | -0.129 | -29.6% |
| 2017 | -0.1103 | -14.5% |
| 2018 | -0.1241 | +12.4% |
| 2019 | -0.1146 | -7.6% |
| 2020 | -0.3743 | +226.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's -0.3743 is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.2946, 1.3× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's -0.3743 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.2415, 1.5× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.153 | -0.2521 | -0.0337 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.1756 | -0.3585 | -0.0313 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1872 | -0.2961 | -0.1103 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3743 | -0.3743 | -0.3743 | 1 |
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 deficit, percent of own spending in United Kingdom?
- Deficit, percent of own spending in United Kingdom was -0.3743 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was -0.0313 in 2000.
- What is the lowest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.3743 in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom rank for deficit, percent of own spending?
- United Kingdom ranks 45th out of 66 countries with data for 2020.
- Is deficit, percent of own spending rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 96.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.