Tax revenue (% of GDP) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Tax revenue (% of GDP) was 26.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Tax revenue in United Kingdom, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, tax revenue in United Kingdom stood at 26.9%. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue in United Kingdom peaked at 26.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.1%, in 1973.
United Kingdom ranks 9th of 157 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Tax revenue (% of GDP) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 23.0% | — |
| 1973 | 21.1% | -8.5% |
| 1974 | 23.7% | +12.7% |
| 1975 | 24.3% | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 23.8% | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 23.3% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 22.2% | -5.0% |
| 1979 | 21.9% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 23.9% | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 24.6% | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 25.9% | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 24.6% | -4.7% |
| 1984 | 24.8% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 25.1% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 23.2% | -5.5% |
| 1988 | 23.0% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 22.8% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 24.2% | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 24.8% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 24.3% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 23.0% | -5.4% |
| 1994 | 23.8% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 23.1% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 23.0% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 23.6% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 24.9% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 25.4% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 26.0% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 25.6% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 24.9% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 24.5% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 25.1% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 25.4% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 25.7% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 25.9% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 26.3% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 24.0% | -8.8% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 25.7% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 25.0% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 25.0% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 24.7% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 25.3% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 25.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 25.3% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 24.9% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 26.0% | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 26.9% | +0.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 26.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 20.7%, 1.3× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 26.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 20.8%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.9% | 21.1% | 24.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 24.2% | 22.8% | 25.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.0% | 23.0% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.3% | 24.0% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.1% | 24.7% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.2% | 24.5% | 26.9% | 5 |
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 tax revenue in United Kingdom?
- Tax revenue in United Kingdom was 26.9% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest tax revenue recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 26.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest tax revenue recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.1% in 1973.
- How does United Kingdom rank for tax revenue?
- United Kingdom ranks 9th out of 157 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tax revenue rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Tax revenue (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes are compulsory, unrequited payments, in cash or in kind, made by institutional units to government units. 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.