UK public spending on social protection by year
Pensions, benefits, personal social services and other social protection.
£407.3 billion
13.3%
HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) put public spending on social protection at £407.3 billion in 2025-26. In 2024-25 it was £386.3 billion, so the cash figure changed by +5.4%. Adjusted to 2025-26 prices, it was £277.6 billion in 2003-04 and £407.3 billion in 2025-26. As a share of GDP it was 13.3% in 2025-26; the highest share in the table is 14.6% in 2011-12.
Spending by year
| Year | Cash | Change on previous year | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Share of GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | £407.3 billion | +5.4% | £407.3 billion | 13.3% |
| 2024-25 | £386.3 billion | +5.8% | £399.6 billion | 13.2% |
| 2023-24 | £365.2 billion | +13.3% | £393.1 billion | 13.1% |
| 2022-23 | £322.2 billion | +7.3% | £365.1 billion | 12.2% |
| 2021-22 | £300.3 billion | +0.3% | £364.2 billion | 12.5% |
| 2020-21 | £299.3 billion | +8.5% | £363.9 billion | 14.2% |
| 2019-20 | £275.8 billion | +0.4% | £352.8 billion | 12.2% |
| 2018-19 | £274.8 billion | +2.3% | £360.8 billion | 12.5% |
| 2017-18 | £268.7 billion | +1.2% | £360.8 billion | 12.7% |
| 2016-17 | £265.4 billion | +0.2% | £360.9 billion | 13.1% |
| 2015-16 | £264.9 billion | +1.5% | £367.5 billion | 13.6% |
| 2014-15 | £261.1 billion | +2.7% | £364.7 billion | 13.8% |
| 2013-14 | £254.2 billion | +0.3% | £360.1 billion | 14.0% |
| 2012-13 | £253.4 billion | +3.5% | £366.4 billion | 14.6% |
| 2011-12 | £244.8 billion | +6.3% | £360.1 billion | 14.6% |
| 2010-11 | £230.4 billion | +3.3% | £346.2 billion | 14.1% |
| 2009-10 | £223.0 billion | +9.6% | £340.8 billion | 14.2% |
| 2008-09 | £203.4 billion | +7.8% | £314.8 billion | 12.8% |
| 2007-08 | £188.6 billion | +6.6% | £302.8 billion | 12.0% |
| 2006-07 | £177.0 billion | +3.5% | £289.7 billion | 11.9% |
| 2005-06 | £171.0 billion | +4.2% | £288.3 billion | 12.0% |
| 2004-05 | £164.1 billion | +5.5% | £284.3 billion | 12.2% |
| 2003-04 | £155.6 billion | £277.6 billion | 12.2% |
PESA 2026 Tables 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, line "10. Social protection". 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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