UK public spending on education by year
Schools, further and higher education, and other education services.
£125.7 billion
4.1%
HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) put public spending on education at £125.7 billion in 2025-26. In 2024-25 it was £123.0 billion, so the cash figure changed by +2.2%. Adjusted to 2025-26 prices, it was £108.8 billion in 2003-04 and £125.7 billion in 2025-26. As a share of GDP it was 4.1% in 2025-26; the highest share in the table is 5.6% in 2009-10.
Spending by year
| Year | Cash | Change on previous year | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Share of GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | £125.7 billion | +2.2% | £125.7 billion | 4.1% |
| 2024-25 | £123.0 billion | +7.7% | £127.2 billion | 4.2% |
| 2023-24 | £114.2 billion | +6.4% | £122.9 billion | 4.1% |
| 2022-23 | £107.3 billion | +7.2% | £121.6 billion | 4.1% |
| 2021-22 | £100.1 billion | +4.8% | £121.5 billion | 4.2% |
| 2020-21 | £95.5 billion | +5.4% | £116.1 billion | 4.5% |
| 2019-20 | £90.6 billion | +2.8% | £115.9 billion | 4.0% |
| 2018-19 | £88.1 billion | +2.3% | £115.7 billion | 4.0% |
| 2017-18 | £86.1 billion | +1.4% | £115.6 billion | 4.1% |
| 2016-17 | £84.9 billion | – | £115.5 billion | 4.2% |
| 2015-16 | £84.9 billion | -0.2% | £117.8 billion | 4.4% |
| 2014-15 | £85.1 billion | +0.5% | £118.9 billion | 4.5% |
| 2013-14 | £84.7 billion | +0.7% | £120.0 billion | 4.7% |
| 2012-13 | £84.1 billion | -2.8% | £121.6 billion | 4.9% |
| 2011-12 | £86.5 billion | -5.5% | £127.2 billion | 5.1% |
| 2010-11 | £91.5 billion | +3.4% | £137.5 billion | 5.6% |
| 2009-10 | £88.5 billion | +6.6% | £135.2 billion | 5.6% |
| 2008-09 | £83.0 billion | +5.5% | £128.5 billion | 5.2% |
| 2007-08 | £78.7 billion | +7.8% | £126.4 billion | 5.0% |
| 2006-07 | £73.0 billion | +4.6% | £119.5 billion | 4.9% |
| 2005-06 | £69.8 billion | +7.2% | £117.7 billion | 4.9% |
| 2004-05 | £65.1 billion | +6.7% | £112.8 billion | 4.8% |
| 2003-04 | £61.0 billion | £108.8 billion | 4.8% |
PESA 2026 Tables 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, line "9. Education (5)". About these figures · CSV
Sources and receipts
- Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2026, Chapter 4 tables, HM Treasury.
File: PESA_2026_CP_Chapter_4_tables.xlsx. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
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