British Political Data
UK · Economy

Economy

UK GDP, growth, and international comparison.

Section 1

UK GDP, 1970–2025

UK nominal GDP and GDP per capita

Nominal GDP (£bn) — left axisGDP per capita (£) — right axis
£0bn£500bn£1,000bn£1,500bn£2,000bn£2,500bn£3,000bn£3,500bn£0£10,000£20,000£30,000£40,000£50,000197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025

GDP per capita

GDP per capita adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs.

Inflation adjusted

UK GDP per capita adjusted for inflation

Source concept: Our World in Data / World Bank GDP per capita in constant international dollars.

Section 2

GDP growth, 1970–2025

UK real GDP growth (% per year)

PositiveNegative
-10%-5%0%5%197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025

UK GDP vs pre-2008 growth trend

Actual nominal GDPPre-2008 trend (5% nominal/yr)
£0bn£1,000bn£2,000bn£3,000bn£4,000bn£5,000bn19972000200320062009201220152018202120242025

Section 3

UK PPP per capita, 1990–2024

UK GDP per capita (PPP, current international $)

$0$10,000$20,000$30,000$40,000$50,000$60,00019902005200920142017202020232024

Section 4

G7 GDP per capita comparison (nominal USD)

GDP per capita (nominal USD) — G7 comparison

UKUSACanadaGermanyFranceItalyJapan
$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000$100,000197019852000200820122016201920222024

Section 5

G7 GDP per capita comparison (PPP)

GDP per capita (PPP, international $) — G7 comparison

UKUSACanadaGermanyFranceItalyJapan
$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000$100,00019902005200920142017202020232024

Section 6

Productivity: output per hour worked

UK output per hour grew by about 2.2% a year from 1971 to 2007, and by about 0.4% a year from 2007 to 2025. This slowdown since the financial crisis is often called the “productivity puzzle”.

UK output per hour worked, 1971–2025 (index, 2023 = 100)

020406080100120Financial crisis197119761981198619911996200120062011201620212025

GDP per hour worked, G7, 2025 (US$, current PPPs)

Levels converted at purchasing power parities, so they compare countries within a year; they are not a measure of growth over time.

USA$104.74Germany$102.69France$96.05UK$85.56Italy$80.36Canada$76.81Japan$61.77
  • UK output per hour worked — latest: 2025 · ONS · next update 16 February 2027
  • G7 GDP per hour worked — latest: 2025 · OECD · Annual OECD compendium, usually mid-year

Section 7

Public and private sector jobs and pay

Employment figures use the ONS series that excludes major reclassifications (such as the nationalised banks, Royal Mail, Network Rail and further education colleges), so that changes over time reflect hiring rather than bodies moving between sectors. On the ONS headline measure, the public sector employed 6.21 million people in June 2026, 18.0% of all employment. In April 2025, median hourly pay for full-time employees (excluding overtime) was £22.01 in the public sector and £18.55 in the private sector; the means were closer, at £24.16 and £23.93. Neither adjusts for differences in jobs, qualifications or age.

Public sector share of UK employment (excluding reclassifications)

1999: 18.3% → 2026: 17.3%
0%5%10%15%20%25%1999200220052008201120142017202020232026

Average weekly earnings, public vs private sector (£, nominal)

Public sectorPrivate sector

Great Britain, total pay including bonuses, annual averages. Raw averages reflect the different mix of jobs in each sector.

£0£100£200£300£400£500£600£700£800200020032006200920122015201820212025
  • Public and private sector employment — latest: June 2026 · ONS · next update 15 December 2026
  • Average weekly earnings by sector — latest: 2025 · ONS · Annual averages; the 2026 average follows the December 2026 data in early 2027
  • Hourly pay by sector (ASHE) — latest: April 2025 · ONS · Usually published with ASHE provisional results (next on 22 October 2026)

Section 8

Government spending as a share of GDP

Government spending and tax revenue as a percentage of GDP since 1970, along with the deficit and national debt, are charted on the National Debt & Government Spending page.

Sources

Data sources