Government budget and revenue in London, United Kingdom: official figures

Government spent £138.3 billion on public services identifiable to London in 2024-25, £15,217 per resident: the highest of 9 English regions and 113% of the UK average of £13,504 (HM Treasury Country and Regional Analysis).

Identifiable public spending per head

£15,217

2024-25

Has public spending in London gone up or down?

In 2024-25 prices, identifiable spending per head in London went from £18,249 in the pandemic year 2020-21 to £15,217 in 2024-25, a fall of 16.6%.

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

What is public money spent on in London?

Social protection, which covers pensions, benefits and social care, took £5,138 per head in London in 2024-25 and health £4,220; the English averages were £5,322 and £3,462.

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

How much is spent on schools and transport in London?

Spending on education in London came to £1,896 per head in 2024-25, on transport £1,195 and on police, courts, prisons and fire services £1,000.

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

How much do councils spend in London?

Local councils accounted for £36.0 billion of identifiable spending in London in 2024-25, 26% of the region's total, or £3,960 per head (index 136 against a UK local-government average of 100).

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

How much public investment goes to London?

Of the £15,217 spent per head in London in 2024-25, £13,117 was current spending and £2,100 was capital investment.

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

How London compares with other region of Englands

Identifiable public spending per head (2024-25)

London ranks 1 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Identifiable public spending per head
1	London	£15,217
2	North East	£14,102
3	North West	£13,835
4	West Midlands	£13,160
5	Yorkshire and the Humber	£12,783
6	South West	£12,432
7	East of England	£12,296

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

Public spending on health per head (2024-25)

London ranks 1 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Public spending on health per head
1	London	£4,220
2	North East	£3,694
3	North West	£3,644
4	West Midlands	£3,478
5	Yorkshire and the Humber	£3,356
6	South West	£3,309
7	East Midlands	£3,168

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

Public spending on education per head (2024-25)

London ranks 1 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Public spending on education per head
1	London	£1,896
2	West Midlands	£1,815
3	North East	£1,766
4	Yorkshire and the Humber	£1,737
5	East of England	£1,713
6	East Midlands	£1,705
7	North West	£1,657

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

Local government spending per head (2024-25)

London ranks 1 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Local government spending per head
1	London	£3,960
2	North West	£3,111
3	North East	£3,051
4	West Midlands	£2,739
5	Yorkshire and the Humber	£2,706
6	South East	£2,535
7	South West	£2,467

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

Total identifiable public spending per head (£) (2024-25)

London ranks 3 of 12, highest first.

Rank	Region	Total identifiable public spending per head (£)
1	Northern Ireland	£16,116
2	Scotland	£15,563
3	London	£15,217
4	Wales	£15,155
5	North East	£14,102
6	North West	£13,835
7	West Midlands	£13,160

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

Change in real-terms public spending per head, 2020-21 to 2024-25 (%) (2020-21 to 2024-25)

London ranks 12 of 12, highest first. In 2024-25 prices; 2020-21 included pandemic spending

Rank	Region	Change in real-terms public spending per head, 2020-21 to 2024-25 (%)
6	North West	-12.3%
7	Yorkshire and the Humber	-12.8%
8	East Midlands	-13.8%
9	South West	-14.6%
10	East of England	-15.3%
11	South East	-16.3%
12	London	-16.6%

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

Local government identifiable spending per head (£) (2024-25)

London ranks 1 of 12, highest first. Northern Ireland councils have fewer functions than in Great Britain

Rank	Region	Local government identifiable spending per head (£)
1	London	£3,960
2	Wales	£3,935
3	Scotland	£3,563
4	North West	£3,111
5	North East	£3,051
6	West Midlands	£2,739
7	Yorkshire and the Humber	£2,706

Source: HM Treasury · saved copy

More on London: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · the United Kingdom

Sources

HM Treasury: Country and Regional Analysis 2025: Chapter A tables (identifiable public spending by country and region, 2020-21 to 2024-25), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9a6a7af9e2bd…)

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