Employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Employee compensation as share of government spending was 15.8% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom, 1972–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom is 15.8%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom peaked at 16.6% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 8.8%, in 1994.
That places United Kingdom 115th out of 155 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 16.6% | — |
| 1973 | 16.0% | -3.4% |
| 1974 | 16.5% | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 16.1% | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 15.6% | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 14.4% | -7.8% |
| 1978 | 13.8% | -4.2% |
| 1979 | 13.5% | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 14.1% | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 13.5% | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | -4.3% |
| 1983 | 13.1% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 12.6% | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 12.5% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 12.6% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 15.3% | +21.3% |
| 1988 | 15.7% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 16.4% | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 15.1% | -7.6% |
| 1991 | 14.0% | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 12.8% | -8.5% |
| 1993 | 11.2% | -12.5% |
| 1994 | 8.8% | -21.7% |
| 1995 | 15.5% | +76.5% |
| 1996 | 15.6% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 15.9% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 15.6% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 15.3% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 15.1% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 15.8% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 15.5% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 15.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 15.4% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 15.7% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 15.5% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 14.5% | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 14.5% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 14.1% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 14.5% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 14.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 12.7% | -12.8% |
| 2014 | 13.1% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 13.1% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 13.4% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 15.2% | +12.9% |
| 2018 | 15.7% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 16.3% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 14.3% | -11.8% |
| 2021 | 15.1% | +5.6% |
| 2022 | 15.2% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 15.8% | +4.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 15.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 84% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 15.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.4%, 96% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +76.5% | 8.8% | 15.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 15.3% | 13.5% | 16.6% | 8 |
| 1980s | 13.9% | 12.5% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.0% | 8.8% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 14.5% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.3% | 12.7% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.1% | 14.3% | 15.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 22,956 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 35,770 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.93 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.07 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 111,361 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,223 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 57.91 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.47 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.4352 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom?
- Employee compensation as share of government spending in United Kingdom was 15.8% in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 16.6% in 1972.
- What is the lowest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.8% in 1994.
- How does United Kingdom rank for employee compensation as share of government spending?
- United Kingdom ranks 115th out of 155 countries with data for 2023.
- Is employee compensation as share of government spending rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employee compensation as share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employee compensation includes wages, in-kind payments, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions.