UK Government Spending 2024-25
Every year, the government spends over a trillion pounds of your money. This is where it goes.
Total Government Spending
£1,228bn
That's £1.3 trillion
Spent Per Person
£18,174
Every man, woman, and child
£1,279bn
Total Government Spending
2024-25 fiscal year
£18,920
Spent Per Person
Every UK resident
£137bn
Government Borrowing
The annual deficit
46%
Of GDP
Public spending share
Total Spending
£1279bn
Tax Receipts
£1141bn
Borrowing
£137bn
Per Person
£18,920
Click on any category to see the detailed breakdown
Showing data for 2024-25 (Current)
A simple breakdown of where each pound goes
2024-25 (Current)
Pensions
£25
Health
£17
Working-Age Benefits
£12
Education
£10
Debt Interest
£8
Defence
£4
Public Order
£4
Transport
£3
Other
£17
£25
Pensions
State pension & pensioner benefits
£17
Health
NHS & public health
£12
Working-Age Benefits
Universal Credit & disability
£10
Education
Schools & universities
£8
Debt Interest
Paying off borrowing
£4
Defence
Military & security
£4
Public Order
Police & courts
£3
Transport
Roads & rail
£17
Other
Everything else
Source: IFS TaxLab, OBR. Percentages verified against official 2022-23 breakdown.
Year-Over-Year Changes
Previous Year
£1226bn
Change
Current Year
£1279bn
Red = Spending Increase · Green = Spending Decrease
Note: Year-over-year changes reflect both policy decisions and economic factors. Large increases in "Other" spending during 2020-21 reflect COVID-19 emergency measures. Debt interest payments have risen sharply since 2022 due to higher interest rates and inflation-linked gilts.
REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
Explore how government spending varies across the UK. Click on any region to see detailed breakdowns.
Enter your postcode to see spending in your region
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All UK nations and English regions ranked by spending per person
Source: HM Treasury Country and Regional Analysis 2024 (2023-24 data)
Where Your Health Spending Goes
The NHS is the UK's largest employer and consumes nearly a fifth of all government spending. From A&E to mental health, GP surgeries to cancer treatment, this is the cost of keeping the nation healthy.
£98bn
Hospital Services
£42bn
Primary Care (GPs)
£18bn
Mental Health
£21bn
Prescriptions
Social Protection
The single largest area of government spending. The State Pension alone costs over £120 billion, with Universal Credit, disability benefits, and housing support making up the rest.
£124bn
State Pension
£89bn
Universal Credit
£45bn
Disability Benefits
£23bn
Housing Benefits
Investing in the Future
From nurseries to universities, this spending shapes the next generation. School funding, student loans, apprenticeships, and early years education all come from this pot.
£58bn
Schools Funding
£32bn
Higher Education
£18bn
Early Years
£12bn
Apprenticeships
National Security
The cost of defending the realm. Personnel, equipment, operations, and infrastructure for the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force, plus nuclear deterrent maintenance.
£24bn
Personnel Costs
£28bn
Equipment
£12bn
Operations
£8bn
Infrastructure
How government spending has grown over recent years, including the COVID-19 surge
Key Insight: The gap between the gold line (spending) and blue line (tax receipts) represents government borrowing. Notice the massive spike in 2020-21 during COVID-19, when borrowing hit £311 billion — the highest since World War II.
£311bn
2020-21 Borrowing
COVID peak
£150bn
2024-25 Borrowing
Current year
+46%
Spending Growth
Since 2019-20
+38%
Tax Growth
Since 2019-20
Top 10 government departments by total managed expenditure
Health & Social Care
Department of Health and Social Care
£223bn
Education
Department for Education
£89bn
Defence
Ministry of Defence
£55bn
Home Office
Home Office
£22bn
Justice
Ministry of Justice
£12bn
Transport
Department for Transport
£35bn
DLUHC
Dept for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
£14bn
Work & Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
£11bn
DEFRA
Dept for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
£8bn
FCDO
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
£14bn
Note: These figures show departmental budgets (Resource DEL), not total spending in each area. The NHS (under DHSC) is the largest single public service, consuming nearly £223 billion annually. Defence spending shown here is the MoD budget, which represents approximately 4.3% of total government spending.
Enter your salary to see how your tax contribution is divided across government spending
Your estimated annual tax (Income Tax + NI)
£6,280
Effective tax rate
17.9%
Did you know? Of your £6,280 tax contribution, approximately £1,227 goes directly to funding the NHS — that's about £102 per month.
Every figure on this website is sourced from official UK government publications. Here's exactly where our data comes from.
All spending percentages have been verified against the Institute for Fiscal Studies TaxLab analysis, which uses data from HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) and the Office for Budget Responsibility. The IFS is an independent research institute and registered charity.
Office for Budget Responsibility
Contains historical and forecast data on government receipts, spending, borrowing, and debt.
Office for Budget Responsibility
Overview of UK public finances including spending, receipts, and borrowing.
HM Treasury
Detailed breakdown of government spending by function, department, and region.
Institute for Fiscal Studies
Analysis of UK government spending breakdown by function, based on PESA and OBR data.
HM Treasury
Spending per head by country and region of the UK.
Office for National Statistics
UK population estimates used to calculate per-person spending figures.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total Spending (2024-25) | £1,279bn | OBR Brief Guide |
| Health (NHS) | 18.3% | IFS TaxLab |
| Pensions & Pensioner Benefits | 24.3% | IFS TaxLab |
| Working-Age Benefits | 12.2% | IFS TaxLab |
| Education | 10.2% | IFS TaxLab |
| Defence | 3.8% | IFS TaxLab |
| Net Debt Interest | 3.8% | IFS TaxLab |
| Public Order & Safety | 3.8% | IFS TaxLab |
| Transport | 2.4% | IFS TaxLab |
| Long-term Care | 1.5% | IFS TaxLab |
| Regional Spending | Per head | CRA 2024 |
Total Managed Expenditure (TME) is the standard measure of total government spending used by HM Treasury and the OBR. It includes both current spending on public services and capital investment.
Spending percentages are calculated as a share of Total Managed Expenditure (TME), not GDP. This is the standard approach used by HM Treasury in PESA. Defence spending as a percentage of TME (~4%) differs from defence as a percentage of GDP (~2.3%).
Per-person figures are calculated by dividing total spending by the UK population estimate from the Office for National Statistics. These figures represent average spending across all residents, not taxpayers.
Regional spending figures show "identifiable expenditure" - spending that can be attributed to a specific region. Some UK-wide spending (e.g., defence, debt interest) is not included in regional totals.
Historical figures may be revised as outturn data replaces estimates. Figures for future years are OBR forecasts and subject to change.
All figures are shown in nominal (cash) terms unless otherwise stated. Real-terms comparisons would require adjustment for inflation.
Disclaimer: This website is an independent public interest project and is not affiliated with HM Treasury, the OBR, or any government department. While we strive for accuracy, users should verify figures against primary sources for official purposes. Data is updated periodically and may not reflect the most recent publications. If you spot an error, please contact us.
All data comes from official government sources and independent research institutions. We believe in transparency about our transparency.
Official UK fiscal forecasts and public finance data
Independent analysis of UK tax and spending
Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses
International spending comparisons (OECD)
Spending figures are based on Total Managed Expenditure (TME) for fiscal year 2024-25, as published in the OBR's November 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
The personal tax calculator uses simplified Income Tax and National Insurance rates for 2024-25. Actual tax liability may differ based on individual circumstances.
Per-person calculations use ONS mid-2024 population estimates of 67.6 million.