NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in was 16.26 Percentage of GDP in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
16.26 Percentage of GDP
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
15th
of 31 countries
All-time high
17.07 Percentage of GDP
in 2020
All-time low
12.09 Percentage of GDP
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025

NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1990–2025

0510151990200720251990: 12.1 Percentage of GDP1991: 14.1 Percentage of GDP1992: 15.5 Percentage of GDP1993: 15.9 Percentage of GDP1994: 15.7 Percentage of GDP1995: 14.3 Percentage of GDP1996: 13.8 Percentage of GDP1997: 13.6 Percentage of GDP1998: 13.2 Percentage of GDP1999: 13 Percentage of GDP2000: 12.8 Percentage of GDP2001: 13.2 Percentage of GDP2002: 13.5 Percentage of GDP2003: 13.9 Percentage of GDP2004: 14.2 Percentage of GDP2005: 14.1 Percentage of GDP2006: 14 Percentage of GDP2007: 14.1 Percentage of GDP2008: 14.6 Percentage of GDP2009: 16.5 Percentage of GDP2010: 16.6 Percentage of GDP2011: 16.6 Percentage of GDP2012: 16.7 Percentage of GDP2013: 16.3 Percentage of GDP2014: 16 Percentage of GDP2015: 15.9 Percentage of GDP2016: 15.6 Percentage of GDP2017: 15.1 Percentage of GDP2018: 14.9 Percentage of GDP2019: 14.8 Percentage of GDP2020: 17.1 Percentage of GDP2021: 16.1 Percentage of GDP2022: 15.2 Percentage of GDP2023: 15.6 Percentage of GDP2024: 16.1 Percentage of GDP2025: 16.3 Percentage of GDP

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 16.26 Percentage of GDP, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 17.07 Percentage of GDP in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.09 Percentage of GDP, in 1990.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 15th of 31 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.

NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in kind for products supplied to households via market producers, paid by general government in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1990 to 2025.
Year Percentage of GDP Change
1990 12.09 Percentage of GDP
1991 14.07 Percentage of GDP +16.4%
1992 15.52 Percentage of GDP +10.3%
1993 15.93 Percentage of GDP +2.6%
1994 15.69 Percentage of GDP -1.6%
1995 14.27 Percentage of GDP -9.0%
1996 13.79 Percentage of GDP -3.4%
1997 13.57 Percentage of GDP -1.6%
1998 13.15 Percentage of GDP -3.1%
1999 12.98 Percentage of GDP -1.3%
2000 12.77 Percentage of GDP -1.6%
2001 13.18 Percentage of GDP +3.2%
2002 13.54 Percentage of GDP +2.7%
2003 13.88 Percentage of GDP +2.6%
2004 14.24 Percentage of GDP +2.6%
2005 14.12 Percentage of GDP -0.8%
2006 13.97 Percentage of GDP -1.1%
2007 14.09 Percentage of GDP +0.9%
2008 14.58 Percentage of GDP +3.4%
2009 16.45 Percentage of GDP +12.9%
2010 16.56 Percentage of GDP +0.6%
2011 16.56 Percentage of GDP -0.0%
2012 16.74 Percentage of GDP +1.1%
2013 16.33 Percentage of GDP -2.5%
2014 15.96 Percentage of GDP -2.3%
2015 15.94 Percentage of GDP -0.1%
2016 15.59 Percentage of GDP -2.2%
2017 15.07 Percentage of GDP -3.4%
2018 14.92 Percentage of GDP -1.0%
2019 14.81 Percentage of GDP -0.7%
2020 17.07 Percentage of GDP +15.3%
2021 16.08 Percentage of GDP -5.8%
2022 15.18 Percentage of GDP -5.6%
2023 15.63 Percentage of GDP +2.9%
2024 16.15 Percentage of GDP +3.3%
2025 16.26 Percentage of GDP +0.7%

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 16.26 Percentage of GDP is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 17.18 Percentage of GDP, 95% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 16.26 Percentage of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.26 Percentage of GDP, 1.0× the median. (27 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 14.11 Percentage of GDP 12.09 Percentage of GDP 15.93 Percentage of GDP 10
2000s 14.08 Percentage of GDP 12.77 Percentage of GDP 16.45 Percentage of GDP 10
2010s 15.85 Percentage of GDP 14.81 Percentage of GDP 16.74 Percentage of GDP 10
2020s 16.06 Percentage of GDP 15.18 Percentage of GDP 17.07 Percentage of GDP 6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 12 Portugal 17.99 Percentage of GDP compare
  2. 13 New Zealand 16.46 Percentage of GDP compare
  3. 14 Czechia 16.37 Percentage of GDP compare
  4. 16 Norway 16.21 Percentage of GDP compare
  5. 17 United States of America 15.33 Percentage of GDP compare
  6. 18 Denmark 15.3 Percentage of GDP compare

See the full ranking of 41 places →

More population data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 16.26 Percentage of GDP in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 17.07 Percentage of GDP in 2020.
What is the lowest naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 12.09 Percentage of GDP in 1990.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 15th out of 31 countries with data for 2025.
Is naag chapter 6: government — social benefits and social transfers in rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in kind for products supplied to households via market producers, paid by general government. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/naag-chapter-6-government-social-benefits-and-social-transfers-in-kind-for-products/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
NAAG Chapter 6: Government — Social benefits and social transfers in kind for products supplied to households via market producers, paid by general government
Unit
Percentage of GDP
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
41 places, 1,300 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The National Accounts at a Glance (NAAG) is based on the original publication and has nine chapters: The first chapter focuses on indicators of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The second is about income and related indicators and presents measures of net national income, savings and net lending/net borrowing. The third chapter looks at the expenditure approach to GDP, with information on the key components of demand and imports. The fourth chapter presents indicators from a production perspective. The fifth chapter looks at household sector indicators such as household disposable income, saving and net worth. The sixth chapter focuses on general government, presenting indicators such as general government revenue, expenditure and gross debt. The seventh chapter looks at financial and non-financial corporations. The eighth chapter presents indicators of capital stock and depreciation. Finally, chapter 9 provides reference indicators, important in their own right but also because they are used in the construction of many of the indicators presented elsewhere in NAAG.