Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) was 31.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of revenue.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 31.1% for taxes on goods and services in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom peaked at 35.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 24.5%, in 1975.
United Kingdom ranks 80th of 156 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 28.1% | — |
| 1973 | 27.3% | -2.9% |
| 1974 | 25.7% | -6.1% |
| 1975 | 24.5% | -4.4% |
| 1976 | 24.8% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 25.2% | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 25.6% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 26.2% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 28.5% | +8.6% |
| 1981 | 27.9% | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 28.6% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 29.5% | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 30.5% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 31.0% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 32.0% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 30.4% | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 31.2% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 30.4% | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 28.4% | -6.7% |
| 1991 | 29.3% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 31.2% | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 32.2% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 33.0% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 34.3% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 34.8% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 34.8% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 34.2% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 35.1% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 34.2% | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 33.6% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 35.0% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 35.3% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 34.2% | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 32.0% | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 32.3% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 32.2% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | -6.6% |
| 2009 | 30.9% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 28.5% | -7.6% |
| 2011 | 34.7% | +21.8% |
| 2012 | 34.4% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 34.6% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 35.7% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 35.5% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 35.2% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 34.7% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 34.7% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 34.9% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 33.2% | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 32.7% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 32.0% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 31.6% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 31.1% | -1.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 31.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.2× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 31.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 31.1%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.9% | 24.5% | 28.1% | 8 |
| 1980s | 30.0% | 27.9% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.7% | 28.4% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.0% | 30.1% | 35.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.3% | 28.5% | 35.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.1% | 31.1% | 33.2% | 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 taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom?
- Taxes on goods and services in United Kingdom was 31.1% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest taxes on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest taxes on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.5% in 1975.
- How does United Kingdom rank for taxes on goods and services?
- United Kingdom ranks 80th out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is taxes on goods and services rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.0%. 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 Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General taxes on goods and services are taxes levied on the production, leasing, delivery, sale, purchase or other change of ownership of a wide range of goods and the provision of a wide range of services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.