{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"gb-education-expenditure-gdp","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/gb-education-expenditure-gdp","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/gb-education-expenditure-gdp/","title":"United Kingdom Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) (2021)","description":"United Kingdom's Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP): 5.9 % of GDP in 2021, +0.5pp YoY. World Bank (SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS), 1971–2021.","domain":"macro","category":"Economy & Macro","keywords":["Economy & Macro","World Bank","United Kingdom","2021"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"United Kingdom","temporal_coverage":"1971/2021","unit":"% of GDP","last_updated":"2026-07-26","last_updated_text":"26 July 2026","data_as_of":"2021","variable_measured":"United Kingdom Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP)","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=GB"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1971–2021"},{"label":"Observations","value":"46"},{"label":"Geography","value":"United Kingdom"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"26 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"United Kingdom (2021)","value":"5.9","unit":"% of GDP","trend":{"direction":"up","value":"+0.5pp YoY"}},{"label":"YoY Change","value":"+0.5pp","unit":"percentage points"},{"label":"Trend","value":"up","unit":""},{"label":"Series length","value":"46","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"United Kingdom Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP)"}],"observation_count":46,"observations":[{"period":"1971","value":5.03205013275146},{"period":"1972","value":5.15937995910645},{"period":"1973","value":5.44860982894897},{"period":"1974","value":5.39099979400635},{"period":"1975","value":6.26878023147583},{"period":"1976","value":6.42422008514404},{"period":"1977","value":6.06335020065308},{"period":"1980","value":5.07011985778809},{"period":"1981","value":5.2884202003479},{"period":"1982","value":5.1887001991272},{"period":"1983","value":5.06150007247925},{"period":"1984","value":4.89905977249146},{"period":"1985","value":4.5940899848938},{"period":"1986","value":4.38083982467651},{"period":"1987","value":4.37180995941162},{"period":"1988","value":4.26831007003784},{"period":"1989","value":4.12511014938354},{"period":"1990","value":4.05552005767822},{"period":"1991","value":4.1224799156189},{"period":"1992","value":4.3344898223877},{"period":"1994","value":4.850830078125},{"period":"1995","value":4.83926010131836},{"period":"1996","value":4.37826013565063},{"period":"1998","value":4.20707988739014},{"period":"1999","value":3.988450050354},{"period":"2000","value":4.01820993423462},{"period":"2001","value":4.1001501083374},{"period":"2002","value":4.61190986633301},{"period":"2003","value":4.8012900352478},{"period":"2004","value":4.73555994033813},{"period":"2005","value":4.92975997924805},{"period":"2006","value":4.97648000717163},{"period":"2007","value":4.9244499206543},{"period":"2008","value":4.90972995758057},{"period":"2009","value":5.06263017654419},{"period":"2010","value":5.69868993759155},{"period":"2011","value":5.57219982147217},{"period":"2013","value":5.52529001235962},{"period":"2014","value":5.60134983062744},{"period":"2015","value":5.55453014373779},{"period":"2016","value":5.42795991897583},{"period":"2017","value":5.45254993438721},{"period":"2018","value":5.20438003540039},{"period":"2019","value":5.26116991043091},{"period":"2020","value":5.43936014175415},{"period":"2021","value":5.90681982040405}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"% of GDP"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2021","value":"5.9","yoyChange":"+0.5pp"},{"year":"2020","value":"5.4","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2019","value":"5.3","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2018","value":"5.2","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"year":"2017","value":"5.5","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2016","value":"5.4","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"year":"2015","value":"5.6","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"year":"2014","value":"5.6","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2013","value":"5.5","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2011","value":"5.6","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2010","value":"5.7","yoyChange":"+0.6pp"},{"year":"2009","value":"5.1","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2008","value":"4.9","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"year":"2007","value":"4.9","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2006","value":"5.0","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2005","value":"4.9","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2004","value":"4.7","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2003","value":"4.8","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2002","value":"4.6","yoyChange":"+0.5pp"},{"year":"2001","value":"4.1","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks government expenditure on education as a share of GDP in United Kingdom from 1990 to present. Education spending shapes future human capital quality, productivity growth, and workforce skill depth. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2021. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1971–2021 (46 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 6.4 % of GDP in 1976 and reached its lowest recorded value of 4 in 1999. The latest reading of 5.9 in 2021 represents a change of +0.5pp."}]}