United Kingdom — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for United Kingdom, 2000–2024.
Health spending for United Kingdom was 11.13% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 25 years, from 2000 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 12.10% in 2020. The lowest was 7.15% in 2000 (about 1.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.86% per year.
United Kingdom ranks 15 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 8%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 7.92%, so United Kingdom sits above it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 8% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 12%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 6 of 51 economies; Belgium (10.80%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 21% in 2020. That is 5% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 38 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 42nd of 184 in 2000 → 22nd of 188 in 2010 → 13th of 189 in 2020 → 6th of 22 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2024
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 10.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 11.1% | -1.0 pp |
| 2021 | 12.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 12.1% | +2.1 pp |
| 2019 | 9.98% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 9.79% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 9.7% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 9.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 9.94% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 9.98% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 9.99% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 9.89% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 9.8% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 9.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 9.84% | +0.8 pp |
| 2008 | 9.03% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 8.76% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 8.54% | +0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 8.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 8.32% | +0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 8.05% | +0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 7.86% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 7.43% | +0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 7.15% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Kingdom’s Health spending in 2001?
7.43% (2001). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Kingdom’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +55.8% in total — about 1.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 11.13%; 2023: 10.99%; 2022: 11.1%; 2021: 12.08%; 2020: 12.1%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.