Government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of GDP was 2.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 2.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.5% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 2.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1972.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 24th out of 165 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.8% | — |
| 1972 | 1.8% | -3.1% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | +7.3% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | +21.3% |
| 1976 | 2.6% | +9.7% |
| 1977 | 2.4% | -7.0% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | -15.1% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 2.1% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 2.0% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 2.0% | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | +10.7% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -8.8% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 2.3% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -15.9% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -9.9% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -9.4% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | +10.5% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 2.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.5%, 1.4× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 2.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.7%, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.6% | 7 |
| 1980s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 8 |
| 2000s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 388,714 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 830,495 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 790,556 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 2.2% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1972.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 24th out of 165 countries with data for 2021.
- Is government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Government expenditure on secondary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release