Australia vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Health spending as a share of total government spending
Australia
21.0%
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
20.0%
in 2023
Australia rank
8th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
9th
Health spending as a share of total government spending over time
- Australia
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
Australia currently reports 21.0% against 20.0% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 1.0%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
Australia ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 9th of 195 countries.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.6% | 17.4% | 1.8% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2010s | 17.3% | 19.3% | 2.0% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2020s | 19.4% | 20.8% | 1.4% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher health spending as a share of total government spending, Australia or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Australia, at 21.0% against 20.0% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2023.
- What is the difference in health spending as a share of total government spending between Australia and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 1.0%, with Australia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
- How do Australia and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Australia ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 9th of 195 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.