UK public spending on recreation, culture and religion by year
Sport and recreation, culture, broadcasting and publishing.
£15.1 billion
0.5%
HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) put public spending on recreation, culture and religion at £15.1 billion in 2025-26. In 2024-25 it was £13.6 billion, so the cash figure changed by +11.0%. Adjusted to 2025-26 prices, it was £17.3 billion in 2003-04 and £15.1 billion in 2025-26. As a share of GDP it was 0.5% in 2025-26; the highest share in the table is 0.8% in 2003-04.
Spending by year
| Year | Cash | Change on previous year | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Share of GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | £15.1 billion | +11.0% | £15.1 billion | 0.5% |
| 2024-25 | £13.6 billion | +4.6% | £14.1 billion | 0.5% |
| 2023-24 | £13.0 billion | -10.3% | £14.0 billion | 0.5% |
| 2022-23 | £14.5 billion | +13.3% | £16.5 billion | 0.6% |
| 2021-22 | £12.8 billion | +1.6% | £15.5 billion | 0.5% |
| 2020-21 | £12.6 billion | +2.4% | £15.3 billion | 0.6% |
| 2019-20 | £12.3 billion | +7.9% | £15.7 billion | 0.5% |
| 2018-19 | £11.4 billion | -0.9% | £15.0 billion | 0.5% |
| 2017-18 | £11.5 billion | -0.9% | £15.4 billion | 0.5% |
| 2016-17 | £11.6 billion | +1.8% | £15.8 billion | 0.6% |
| 2015-16 | £11.4 billion | -8.1% | £15.8 billion | 0.6% |
| 2014-15 | £12.4 billion | +6.9% | £17.3 billion | 0.7% |
| 2013-14 | £11.6 billion | -8.7% | £16.4 billion | 0.6% |
| 2012-13 | £12.7 billion | +1.6% | £18.4 billion | 0.7% |
| 2011-12 | £12.5 billion | -3.8% | £18.4 billion | 0.7% |
| 2010-11 | £13.0 billion | -1.5% | £19.5 billion | 0.8% |
| 2009-10 | £13.2 billion | +6.5% | £20.2 billion | 0.8% |
| 2008-09 | £12.4 billion | +4.2% | £19.2 billion | 0.8% |
| 2007-08 | £11.9 billion | +4.4% | £19.1 billion | 0.8% |
| 2006-07 | £11.4 billion | +5.6% | £18.7 billion | 0.8% |
| 2005-06 | £10.8 billion | +8.0% | £18.2 billion | 0.8% |
| 2004-05 | £10.0 billion | +3.1% | £17.3 billion | 0.7% |
| 2003-04 | £9.7 billion | £17.3 billion | 0.8% |
PESA 2026 Tables 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, line "8. Recreation, culture and religion". 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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