Military expenditure (current LCU) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 71.18 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
71.18 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
76th
of 168 countries
All-time high
71.18 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
1.83 billion current LCU
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in United Kingdom, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 71.18 billion current LCU for military expenditure in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 81.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in United Kingdom peaked at 71.18 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.83 billion current LCU, in 1960.
That places United Kingdom 76th out of 168 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.83 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 1.90 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 1962 | 2.00 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 1963 | 2.08 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 1964 | 2.20 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1965 | 2.31 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 1966 | 2.39 billion current LCU | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 2.51 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 1968 | 2.59 billion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 2.58 billion current LCU | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 2.83 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
| 1971 | 3.09 billion current LCU | +9.2% |
| 1972 | 3.52 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 1973 | 3.86 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
| 1974 | 4.47 billion current LCU | +15.9% |
| 1975 | 5.83 billion current LCU | +30.5% |
| 1976 | 6.70 billion current LCU | +14.8% |
| 1977 | 7.43 billion current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1978 | 8.29 billion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 1979 | 9.70 billion current LCU | +17.0% |
| 1980 | 12.20 billion current LCU | +25.8% |
| 1981 | 13.41 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1982 | 15.86 billion current LCU | +18.3% |
| 1983 | 17.43 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1984 | 19.11 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
| 1985 | 20.29 billion current LCU | +6.1% |
| 1986 | 20.76 billion current LCU | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 21.37 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 21.56 billion current LCU | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 22.89 billion current LCU | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 24.52 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 26.68 billion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 1992 | 25.98 billion current LCU | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 25.41 billion current LCU | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 25.20 billion current LCU | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 24.27 billion current LCU | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 24.72 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 24.37 billion current LCU | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 24.89 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 25.19 billion current LCU | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 26.00 billion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 27.45 billion current LCU | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 29.52 billion current LCU | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 32.06 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 2004 | 32.91 billion current LCU | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 33.91 billion current LCU | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 34.90 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 36.71 billion current LCU | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 39.66 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 41.09 billion current LCU | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 41.41 billion current LCU | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 41.55 billion current LCU | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 41.43 billion current LCU | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 40.83 billion current LCU | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 40.69 billion current LCU | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 39.27 billion current LCU | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 39.52 billion current LCU | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 40.61 billion current LCU | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 41.85 billion current LCU | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 44.35 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 45.50 billion current LCU | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 47.36 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 51.92 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
| 2023 | 59.22 billion current LCU | +14.1% |
| 2024 | 70.27 billion current LCU | +18.7% |
| 2025 | 71.18 billion current LCU | +1.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 71.18 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 17.84 billion current LCU, 4.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 71.18 billion current LCU is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.40 billion current LCU, 8.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.24 billion current LCU | 1.83 billion current LCU | 2.59 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.57 billion current LCU | 2.83 billion current LCU | 9.70 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.49 billion current LCU | 12.20 billion current LCU | 22.89 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.12 billion current LCU | 24.27 billion current LCU | 26.68 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.42 billion current LCU | 26.00 billion current LCU | 41.09 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.15 billion current LCU | 39.27 billion current LCU | 44.35 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.58 billion current LCU | 45.50 billion current LCU | 71.18 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 73 United Arab Emirates 83.57 billion current LCU compare
- 74 Uruguay 80.38 billion current LCU compare
- 75 Ethiopia 73.34 billion current LCU compare
- 77 Equatorial Guinea 70.20 billion current LCU compare
- 78 Dominican Republic 64.00 billion current LCU compare
- 79 France 60.29 billion current LCU compare
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 military expenditure in United Kingdom?
- Military expenditure in United Kingdom was 71.18 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 71.18 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.83 billion current LCU in 1960.
- How does United Kingdom rank for military expenditure?
- United Kingdom ranks 76th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 81.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)