Public healthcare spending as a share of GDP in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Public healthcare spending as a share of GDP was 9.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Public healthcare spending as a share of GDP in United Kingdom, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 9.0% for public healthcare spending as a share of gdp in 2023.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public healthcare spending as a share of gdp in United Kingdom peaked at 10.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 2000.
United Kingdom ranks 8th of 193 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Public healthcare spending as a share of GDP in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.4% | — |
| 2001 | 5.6% | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 6.0% | +7.0% |
| 2003 | 6.3% | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 6.8% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 7.0% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 7.0% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 7.3% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | +10.9% |
| 2010 | 8.0% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 8.0% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 7.9% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 7.9% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 7.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 7.8% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 8.0% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 10.2% | +27.9% |
| 2021 | 10.1% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | -10.0% |
| 2023 | 9.0% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.6% | 5.4% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 9.0% | 10.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More health data for United Kingdom
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0316 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0224 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 859 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public healthcare spending as a share of gdp in United Kingdom?
- Public healthcare spending as a share of gdp in United Kingdom was 9.0% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public healthcare spending as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest public healthcare spending as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 2000.
- How does United Kingdom rank for public healthcare spending as a share of gdp?
- United Kingdom ranks 8th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is public healthcare spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Public healthcare spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Domestic general government expenditure on health from domestic sources, expressed as a share of GDP.