Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation was 74.1% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 74.1%, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 77.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 58.8%, in 2010.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 39th of 116 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 65.0% | — |
| 1999 | 64.6% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 71.8% | +11.1% |
| 2001 | 69.7% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 70.4% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 70.5% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 63.9% | -9.3% |
| 2005 | 73.5% | +15.0% |
| 2006 | 68.3% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 72.7% | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 71.5% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 70.5% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 58.8% | -16.6% |
| 2011 | 76.8% | +30.7% |
| 2013 | 75.0% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 74.0% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 73.9% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 76.8% | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 76.9% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 77.0% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 77.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 75.4% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 74.1% | -1.7% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 74.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 70.2%, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 74.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 71.5%, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +30.7% | 58.8% | 76.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64.8% | 64.6% | 65.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 70.3% | 63.9% | 73.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.1% | 58.8% | 77.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 74.8% | 74.1% | 75.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 36 Turks and Caicos Islands 74.6% compare
- 37 Spain 74.5% compare
- 38 Russian Federation 74.4% compare
- 40 Switzerland 74.1% compare
- 41 Israel 73.8% compare
- 42 Philippines 73.4% compare
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 share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 74.1% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 77.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.8% in 2010.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 39th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. 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 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Compensation for staff across all levels of education, both teaching and non-teaching, covers salaries, retirement contributions by employers, and additional benefits.