Subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Subnational government expenditure was 46.26 Percentage of GDP in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
46.26 Percentage of GDP
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
16th
of 36 countries
All-time high
51.76 Percentage of GDP
in 2020
All-time low
35 Percentage of GDP
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 35 Percentage of GDP2001: 36 Percentage of GDP2002: 37.4 Percentage of GDP2003: 38.7 Percentage of GDP2004: 39.9 Percentage of GDP2005: 41.1 Percentage of GDP2006: 40.7 Percentage of GDP2007: 40.9 Percentage of GDP2008: 44.1 Percentage of GDP2009: 46.9 Percentage of GDP2010: 47.1 Percentage of GDP2011: 45.6 Percentage of GDP2012: 45.4 Percentage of GDP2013: 43.6 Percentage of GDP2014: 42.8 Percentage of GDP2015: 42.1 Percentage of GDP2016: 41.3 Percentage of GDP2017: 40.9 Percentage of GDP2018: 40.5 Percentage of GDP2019: 40.5 Percentage of GDP2020: 51.8 Percentage of GDP2021: 47.4 Percentage of GDP2022: 45.5 Percentage of GDP2023: 46.5 Percentage of GDP2024: 46.3 Percentage of GDP

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom is 46.26 Percentage of GDP, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom peaked at 51.76 Percentage of GDP in 2020 and was at its lowest, 35 Percentage of GDP, in 2000.

United Kingdom ranks 16th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

Subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom, 2000 to 2024.
Year Percentage of GDP Change
2000 35 Percentage of GDP
2001 35.99 Percentage of GDP +2.8%
2002 37.44 Percentage of GDP +4.0%
2003 38.67 Percentage of GDP +3.3%
2004 39.92 Percentage of GDP +3.2%
2005 41.09 Percentage of GDP +2.9%
2006 40.69 Percentage of GDP -1.0%
2007 40.91 Percentage of GDP +0.5%
2008 44.07 Percentage of GDP +7.7%
2009 46.94 Percentage of GDP +6.5%
2010 47.13 Percentage of GDP +0.4%
2011 45.59 Percentage of GDP -3.3%
2012 45.35 Percentage of GDP -0.5%
2013 43.62 Percentage of GDP -3.8%
2014 42.82 Percentage of GDP -1.8%
2015 42.14 Percentage of GDP -1.6%
2016 41.34 Percentage of GDP -1.9%
2017 40.89 Percentage of GDP -1.1%
2018 40.55 Percentage of GDP -0.8%
2019 40.51 Percentage of GDP -0.1%
2020 51.76 Percentage of GDP +27.8%
2021 47.41 Percentage of GDP -8.4%
2022 45.55 Percentage of GDP -3.9%
2023 46.54 Percentage of GDP +2.2%
2024 46.26 Percentage of GDP -0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 40.07 Percentage of GDP 35 Percentage of GDP 46.94 Percentage of GDP 10
2010s 43 Percentage of GDP 40.51 Percentage of GDP 47.13 Percentage of GDP 10
2020s 47.5 Percentage of GDP 45.55 Percentage of GDP 51.76 Percentage of GDP 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 13 Iceland 47.14 Percentage of GDP compare
  2. 14 Luxembourg 46.84 Percentage of GDP compare
  3. 15 Slovenia 46.48 Percentage of GDP compare
  4. 17 Spain 45.47 Percentage of GDP compare
  5. 18 Latvia 45.3 Percentage of GDP compare
  6. 19 Canada 45.11 Percentage of GDP compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More public sector data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom?
Subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom was 46.26 Percentage of GDP in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest subnational government expenditure recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 51.76 Percentage of GDP in 2020.
What is the lowest subnational government expenditure recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 35 Percentage of GDP in 2000.
How does United Kingdom rank for subnational government expenditure?
United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 36 countries with data for 2024.
Is subnational government expenditure rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. 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 Subnational government expenditure. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Subnational government expenditure in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/subnational-government-expenditure/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Subnational government expenditure
Unit
Percentage of GDP
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
42 places, 1,036 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

This dataset includes subnational government expenditure expressed in several units of measures: USD PPP, USD PPP per capita, percentage of GDP, and percentage of total public expenditure. The Subnational Government Structure and Finance Dashboard compiles several datasets with comparable data on institutional organisation and public finance at subnational government level. It provides data for the time period 2000 - 2024 (based on data availability), for all 38 OECD member countries, and the average for the European Union. It includes data for the subnational government sector, for both state and local government levels for some federal countries. The data for the latest year available is also available in PDF format and via an Interactive dashboard.