Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of was 18.5% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
18.5%
Change on year
up 11.6%
World rank
42nd
of 117 countries
All-time high
28.9%
in 2004
All-time low
15.6%
in 2011
Years of data
23
1998–2021

Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1998–2021

01020301998200920211998: 27.1 %1999: 24.8 %2000: 22.9 %2001: 22.9 %2002: 23.3 %2003: 24.8 %2004: 28.9 %2005: 19.3 %2006: 27.7 %2007: 20.9 %2008: 19.5 %2009: 19.6 %2010: 25.6 %2011: 15.6 %2013: 21 %2014: 22 %2015: 23.1 %2016: 20.7 %2017: 20.4 %2018: 20.6 %2019: 20 %2020: 16.5 %2021: 18.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 18.5% for current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in 2021.

That represents a change of up 11.6% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 28.9% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2011.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 42nd of 117 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1998 to 2021.
Year % Change
1998 27.1%
1999 24.8% -8.6%
2000 22.9% -7.6%
2001 22.9% -0.1%
2002 23.3% +1.7%
2003 24.8% +6.5%
2004 28.9% +16.2%
2005 19.3% -33.0%
2006 27.7% +43.2%
2007 20.9% -24.4%
2008 19.5% -6.7%
2009 19.6% +0.4%
2010 25.6% +31.0%
2011 15.6% -39.3%
2013 21.0% +35.1%
2014 22.0% +4.6%
2015 23.1% +5.1%
2016 20.7% -10.7%
2017 20.4% -1.0%
2018 20.6% +0.7%
2019 20.0% -3.0%
2020 16.5% -17.2%
2021 18.5% +11.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 26.0% 24.8% 27.1% 2
2000s 23.0% 19.3% 28.9% 10
2010s 21.0% 15.6% 25.6% 9
2020s 17.5% 16.5% 18.5% 2

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 39 Luxembourg 18.7% compare
  2. 40 Spain 18.5% compare
  3. 41 El Salvador 18.5% compare
  4. 43 Barbados 18.3% compare
  5. 44 Germany 18.3% compare
  6. 45 France 18.1% compare

See the full ranking of 117 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 18.5% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 28.9% in 2004.
What is the lowest current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2011.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 42nd out of 117 countries with data for 2021.
Is current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/current-expenditure-other-than-staff-compensation-as-a-percentage-of-total-expenditure-in-3/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Current expenditure other than staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
117 places, 1,558 data points, 1998–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release