{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"gb-government-expenditure-gdp","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/gb-government-expenditure-gdp","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/gb-government-expenditure-gdp/","title":"United Kingdom Government Expenditure (% of GDP) (2023)","description":"United Kingdom's Government Expenditure (% of GDP): 41.2 % of GDP in 2023, +0.5pp YoY. World Bank (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), 1974–2023.","domain":"macro","category":"Economy & Macro","keywords":["Economy & Macro","World Bank","United Kingdom","2023"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"United Kingdom","temporal_coverage":"1974/2023","unit":"% of GDP","last_updated":"2026-07-26","last_updated_text":"26 July 2026","data_as_of":"2023","variable_measured":"United Kingdom Government Expenditure (% of GDP)","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=GB"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1974–2023"},{"label":"Observations","value":"50"},{"label":"Geography","value":"United Kingdom"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"26 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"United Kingdom (2023)","value":"41.2","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":"50","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"United Kingdom Government Expenditure (% of GDP)"}],"observation_count":50,"observations":[{"period":"1974","value":33.2535749520883},{"period":"1975","value":36.489009279426},{"period":"1976","value":36.4449594438007},{"period":"1977","value":34.5281667727562},{"period":"1978","value":34.4890187996323},{"period":"1979","value":33.9799221391943},{"period":"1980","value":35.5598793897086},{"period":"1981","value":37.4844380028615},{"period":"1982","value":37.6715488409641},{"period":"1983","value":36.8816195615493},{"period":"1984","value":36.8195626985179},{"period":"1985","value":35.9327582091588},{"period":"1986","value":34.9778582587354},{"period":"1987","value":33.1374118627526},{"period":"1988","value":30.9724412757416},{"period":"1989","value":29.6546233795577},{"period":"1990","value":32.583043271347},{"period":"1991","value":34.7840781769414},{"period":"1992","value":37.6406266271925},{"period":"1993","value":37.368983262073},{"period":"1994","value":37.079774985373},{"period":"1995","value":36.9813117235394},{"period":"1996","value":35.7206419814166},{"period":"1997","value":34.2967787434836},{"period":"1998","value":33.859458079545},{"period":"1999","value":33.5565051823446},{"period":"2000","value":33.9732013950554},{"period":"2001","value":34.2607223378199},{"period":"2002","value":35.6561692752497},{"period":"2003","value":36.8313079900071},{"period":"2004","value":37.2869389357439},{"period":"2005","value":37.7302246429536},{"period":"2006","value":37.9527495128816},{"period":"2007","value":38.2371535235856},{"period":"2008","value":40.9965067153825},{"period":"2009","value":43.4910751216009},{"period":"2010","value":43.9387835050398},{"period":"2011","value":42.5122983092258},{"period":"2012","value":43.130949034331},{"period":"2013","value":40.0310887432144},{"period":"2014","value":39.1461420557996},{"period":"2015","value":38.2133758226073},{"period":"2016","value":37.0119041977698},{"period":"2017","value":36.8434052284403},{"period":"2018","value":37.1969170536007},{"period":"2019","value":36.4058676559426},{"period":"2020","value":47.5326631273768},{"period":"2021","value":42.9472430652547},{"period":"2022","value":40.6510938418388},{"period":"2023","value":41.2292290721047}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"% of GDP"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2023","value":"41.2","yoyChange":"+0.5pp"},{"year":"2022","value":"40.7","yoyChange":"-2.2pp"},{"year":"2021","value":"42.9","yoyChange":"-4.6pp"},{"year":"2020","value":"47.5","yoyChange":"+11.1pp"},{"year":"2019","value":"36.4","yoyChange":"-0.8pp"},{"year":"2018","value":"37.2","yoyChange":"+0.4pp"},{"year":"2017","value":"36.8","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"year":"2016","value":"37.0","yoyChange":"-1.2pp"},{"year":"2015","value":"38.2","yoyChange":"-0.9pp"},{"year":"2014","value":"39.1","yoyChange":"-0.9pp"},{"year":"2013","value":"40.0","yoyChange":"-3.1pp"},{"year":"2012","value":"43.1","yoyChange":"+0.6pp"},{"year":"2011","value":"42.5","yoyChange":"-1.4pp"},{"year":"2010","value":"43.9","yoyChange":"+0.4pp"},{"year":"2009","value":"43.5","yoyChange":"+2.5pp"},{"year":"2008","value":"41.0","yoyChange":"+2.8pp"},{"year":"2007","value":"38.2","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2006","value":"38.0","yoyChange":"+0.3pp"},{"year":"2005","value":"37.7","yoyChange":"+0.4pp"},{"year":"2004","value":"37.3","yoyChange":"+0.5pp"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks general government expenditure as a share of GDP in United Kingdom from 1990 to present. The size of government relative to the economy shapes fiscal sustainability, crowding-out effects, and public sector demand. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2023. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1974–2023 (50 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 47.5 % of GDP in 2020 and reached its lowest recorded value of 29.7 in 1989. The latest reading of 41.2 in 2023 represents a change of +0.5pp."}]}