UK vs Denmark: inflation, energy prices and tax compared
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's inflation rate at 3.4%, higher than Denmark's 1.8%. On OECD figures, the UK's household energy price inflation in 2025 was 1.6%; Denmark's was minus 2.5%. In 2024 the OECD gives 34.4% of GDP for the UK's tax revenue and 45.2% of GDP for Denmark.
Inflation, average consumer prices
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's inflation rate at 3.4%, higher than Denmark's 1.8%. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 10 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 7.3% | 3.4% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | 8.6% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | 0.7% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | 0.7% |
| 2017 | 2.7% | 1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | 0.2% |
The IMF measures inflation as the percentage change in the average level of each country's consumer price index over a calendar year compared with the year before.
Inflation in household energy prices
On OECD figures, the UK's household energy price inflation in 2025 was 1.6%; Denmark's was minus 2.5%. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 7 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.6% | minus 2.5% |
| 2024 | minus 18.7% | 0.4% |
| 2023 | 15.0% | minus 15.2% |
| 2022 | 64.4% | 47.8% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | 9.2% |
| 2020 | minus 4.6% | minus 3.3% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | minus 0.6% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | 1.6% |
| 2017 | 3.9% | minus 0.4% |
| 2016 | minus 2.9% | minus 2.2% |
| 2015 | minus 3.5% | minus 5.7% |
The OECD republishes each country's consumer price index for electricity, gas and other fuels used in the home (COICOP group 04.5).
Total tax revenue
In 2024 the OECD gives 34.4% of GDP for the UK's tax revenue and 45.2% of GDP for Denmark. The UK's figure was not higher than Denmark's in any year from 2014 to 2024.
| Year | UK | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34.4% of GDP | 45.2% of GDP |
| 2023 | 35.0% of GDP | 44.0% of GDP |
| 2022 | 35.2% of GDP | 42.1% of GDP |
| 2021 | 34.2% of GDP | 47.5% of GDP |
| 2020 | 32.8% of GDP | 47.2% of GDP |
| 2019 | 32.5% of GDP | 47.1% of GDP |
| 2018 | 32.8% of GDP | 44.4% of GDP |
| 2017 | 32.7% of GDP | 45.5% of GDP |
| 2016 | 32.5% of GDP | 45.8% of GDP |
| 2015 | 31.9% of GDP | 46.5% of GDP |
| 2014 | 31.7% of GDP | 48.8% of GDP |
The OECD's total tax revenue is every compulsory, unrequited payment to general government, including social security contributions, collected by all levels of government in a calendar year, shown as a share of GDP.
More figures for the UK and Denmark
| Figure | UK | Denmark | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price-to-income ratio, standardised | 115.7 (100 = long-term average) | 118.3 (100 = long-term average) | 2025 | OECD |
| GDP per head, purchasing power parity | $65,758 | $87,303 | 2025 | IMF |
| GDP, current prices | $4.01 trillion | $470.9 billion | 2025 | IMF |
| Real GDP growth | 1.2% | 3.5% | 2025 | IMF |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 2.9% | 2025 | IMF |
| General government gross debt | 102.1% of GDP | 27.4% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years | 82.3 years | 2024 | World Bank |
| Current health expenditure | 11.4% of GDP | 9.6% of GDP | 2025 | OECD |
| General government expenditure | 43.5% of GDP | 47.2% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Employment rate, ages 15 to 64 | 75.1% | 76.9% | 2025 | OECD |
| Core defence expenditure | 2.56% of GDP | 3.49% of GDP | 2026 | NATO |
| Gross domestic spending on research and development | 2.8% of GDP | 3.1% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
Figures are the international body's, for a year both countries share; they can differ from those published by the ONS because they are adjusted for comparison.
Ranked tables with the UK and Denmark
- UK inflation compared with EU countries
- UK tax revenue compared with other countries
- UK household energy price inflation compared with Europe
More about Denmark: Denmark in figures. Compare any two countries with the country comparison tool.
Sources and receipts
- International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e36fb78dc58c5b50…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e65b928246b385b5…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
53bd8a1de156c848…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
7f602aa3372de03a…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
ee244608acd0fa96…· publisher's page - OECD: Revenue Statistics: comparative tablesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
d13c5d3b336f1be8…· publisher's page
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