Net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Net incurrence of liabilities, total was 7.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
7.0%
Change on year
down 11.5%
World rank
20th
of 136 countries
All-time high
18.9%
in 2020
All-time low
-1.0%
in 1988
Years of data
53
1972–2024

Net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1972–2024

05101520197219982024

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

In 2024, net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 7.0%.

The figure is down 11.5% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 18.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, -1.0%, in 1988.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 20th out of 136 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1972 to 2024.
Year % of GDP Change
1972 0.4%
1973 3.6% +712.6%
1974 4.7% +30.8%
1975 6.9% +45.2%
1976 5.7% -16.9%
1977 8.9% +55.9%
1978 3.9% -56.7%
1979 6.0% +55.4%
1980 4.2% -30.1%
1981 3.4% -19.8%
1982 2.7% -19.8%
1983 4.3% +60.1%
1984 3.1% -28.8%
1985 2.7% -11.3%
1986 2.9% +5.9%
1987 0.4% -86.6%
1988 -1.0% -368.7%
1989 -0.6% -43.9%
1990 -0.8% +43.5%
1991 0.8% -190.0%
1992 3.7% +391.3%
1993 6.4% +72.2%
1994 4.0% -37.3%
1995 7.2% +79.4%
1996 5.2% -28.0%
1997 4.1% -21.1%
1998 2.3% -44.5%
1999 2.4% +6.7%
2000 3.9% +61.6%
2001 1.0% -73.7%
2002 4.3% +314.4%
2003 5.9% +37.5%
2004 6.0% +2.6%
2005 6.1% +1.7%
2006 5.8% -5.1%
2007 5.7% -1.8%
2008 12.1% +111.5%
2009 16.6% +37.4%
2010 7.1% -57.4%
2011 10.5% +49.0%
2012 10.2% -3.2%
2013 5.4% -47.3%
2014 6.8% +27.5%
2015 5.0% -27.1%
2016 4.8% -4.4%
2017 4.3% -9.0%
2018 4.6% +7.2%
2019 4.7% +1.2%
2020 18.9% +301.7%
2021 10.6% -44.1%
2022 4.7% -55.7%
2023 7.9% +69.6%
2024 7.0% -11.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 5.0% 0.4% 8.9% 8
1980s 2.2% -1.0% 4.3% 10
1990s 3.5% -0.8% 7.2% 10
2000s 6.7% 1.0% 16.6% 10
2010s 6.3% 4.3% 10.5% 10
2020s 9.8% 4.7% 18.9% 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 17 Brazil 7.3% compare
  2. 18 Mexico 7.2% compare
  3. 19 United States of America 7.0% compare
  4. 21 Nepal 7.0% compare
  5. 22 India 6.7% compare
  6. 23 North Macedonia 6.6% compare

See the full ranking of 157 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 net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 7.0% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest net incurrence of liabilities, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 18.9% in 2020.
What is the lowest net incurrence of liabilities, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was -1.0% in 1988.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for net incurrence of liabilities, total?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 20th out of 136 countries with data for 2024.
Is net incurrence of liabilities, total rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. 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 Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net incurrence of liabilities, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/net-incurrence-of-liabilities-total-percent-of-gdp/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
157 places, 3,371 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Net incurrence of government liabilities includes foreign financing (obtained from nonresidents) and domestic financing (obtained from residents), or the means by which a government provides financial resources to cover a budget deficit or allocates financial resources arising from a budget surplus. The net incurrence of liabilities should be offset by the net acquisition of financial assets. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.