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Government debt in United Kingdom

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

United Kingdom's government debt is 102.30 % — #111 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

102.30%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 1.0 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in United Kingdom over time

104.80 %66.60 %28.40 %104.80 % · 202028.40 % · 19901980: 42.50 %1981: 44.70 %1982: 42.90 %1983: 41.80 %1984: 42.10 %1985: 41.20 %1986: 41.20 %1987: 39.20 %1988: 37.00 %1989: 32.40 %1990: 28.40 %1991: 28.40 %1992: 33.10 %1993: 37.80 %1994: 40.60 %1995: 43.50 %1996: 43.50 %1997: 43.90 %1998: 41.80 %1999: 40.30 %2000: 37.50 %2001: 34.80 %2002: 35.30 %2003: 36.60 %2004: 39.70 %2005: 40.90 %2006: 41.90 %2007: 43.00 %2008: 50.60 %2009: 64.50 %2010: 75.50 %2011: 81.10 %2012: 84.10 %2013: 84.90 %2014: 86.50 %2015: 87.30 %2016: 87.30 %2017: 86.10 %2018: 85.60 %2019: 84.90 %2020: 104.80 %2021: 103.40 %2022: 97.50 %2023: 98.90 %2024: 99.90 %2025: 102.30 %198020032025102.30 %
46 official observations, 1980 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#111 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
10 %
13 of 124 countries
Latest move
▲ 2.40 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
2.50 pp
peak 104.80 % in 2020
Full series
▲ 59.80 pp
since 1980

In Europe: #32 of 37vs median 54.55 %: +47.75 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %United Kingdom: ahead of 10 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtUnited Kingdom 102.30 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. United Kingdom is ahead of 10 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs United Kingdom
109 Spain100.40 %−1.90 pp
110 Sri Lanka100.80 %−1.50 pp
111 United Kingdom102.30 %—
112 Mozambique102.50 %+0.20 pp
113 Suriname105.80 %+3.50 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about United Kingdom

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare United Kingdom with another country →Everything about United Kingdom →
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