United Kingdom's social contributions (% of revenue) was 17.27% in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 0.68 percentage points from 17.95% in 2014.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 17.27% | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | 19.28% | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | 17.95% | 2014 |
| Highest | 22.17% | 1987 |
| Lowest | 15.16% | 1981 |
| Average since 2015 | 18.8% | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | 15.63% | 1972 |
What the numbers say
In 2024, United Kingdom's social contributions (% of revenue) fell 1.43 percentage points on 2023 (from 18.69% to 17.27%).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.09 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.98 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.58 percentage points in 1987 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.24 percentage points in 2010. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2024, United Kingdom had the 45th highest value of the 68 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 17.27% | 2024 |
| Europe & Central Asia | 31.23% | 2024 |
| High income | 30.91% | 2024 |
Closest to United Kingdom in the 2024 ranking
- Mongolia — 41st of 68: 19.28%
- Russian Federation — 42nd of 68: 18.86%
- Norway — 43rd of 68: 17.78%
- Azerbaijan — 45th of 68: 16.07%
- Israel — 46th of 68: 16%
- Ireland — 47th of 68: 15.57%
What this measures
Social contributions are actual or imputed contributions payable to social insurance schemes to make provisions for social benefits to be paid. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.
Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.
All 53 values
| Year | Social contributions (% of revenue) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 17.27 |
| 2023 | 18.69 |
| 2022 | 19.37 |
| 2021 | 19.54 |
| 2020 | 20.32 |
| 2019 | 19.28 |
| 2018 | 18.6 |
| 2017 | 18.51 |
| 2016 | 18.33 |
| 2015 | 18.12 |
| 2014 |
Social contributions (% of revenue) in nearby economies
More public sector data for United Kingdom
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 609 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 88.98 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (current LCU) — 71.18 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.35% (2025)
- Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 702 million (2025)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) — 203.14 billion (2024)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) — 7.03% (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 69.25 billion (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is United Kingdom's social contributions (% of revenue)?
- 17.27% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1972?
- It is up 1.64 percentage points from 15.63% in 1972. The highest value was 22.17% in 1987 and the lowest 15.16% in 1981.
- How does United Kingdom rank?
- 45th highest of 68 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in social contributions (% of revenue) unusual for United Kingdom?
- In 2024, United Kingdom's social contributions (% of revenue) fell 1.43 percentage points on 2023 (from 18.69% to 17.27%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.09 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.98 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.REV.SOCL.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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