Home United Kingdom Education Education Spending

United Kingdom Education Spending

Government expenditure on education as % of GDP  SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS

5.91% +0.47% (+8.6%)
Year 2021 Rank #144 Global Peak 6.42% (1976) Source World Bank

United Kingdom Education Spending (1971–2021)

Overview

United Kingdom's education spending stood at 5.91% in 2021, a rise of +0.47% from 2020. United Kingdom ranked 144th globally.

Data & projection

Year Education Spending YoY change Rank
2021 5.91% +0.47% #144
2020 5.44% +0.18% #126
2019 5.26% +0.06% #129
2018 5.20% −0.25% #127
2017 5.45% +0.02% #136
2016 5.43% −0.13% #123
2015 5.55% −0.05% #131
2014 5.60% +0.08% #128
2013 5.53% −0.05% #119
2011 5.57% −0.13% #113
2010 5.70% +0.64% #110
2009 5.06% +0.15% #73
2008 4.91% −0.01% #77
2007 4.92% −0.05% #77
2006 4.98% +0.05% #75
Show all years (1971-2021)

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +24.7% GDP growth 3.6% C/A balance 0.7%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

United Kingdom matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1985. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is United Kingdom's education spending?

United Kingdom's education spending was 5.91% in 2021. Ranked 144th globally. This represents a 8.6% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest education spending in United Kingdom?

United Kingdom's education spending peaked at 6.42% in 1976.

What was the lowest education spending in United Kingdom?

The lowest education spending in United Kingdom was 3.99% in 1999.

How does United Kingdom rank in education spending?

United Kingdom ranks 144th globally in education spending as of 2021.

What is the World Bank indicator code for education spending?

The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the education spending of United Kingdom in 2021?

The education spending of United Kingdom in 2021 was 5.91%. This ranks 144th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
United Kingdom Education Spending. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/united-kingdom/education-spending-gdp
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_united-kingdom_education-spending-gdp, title = {United Kingdom Education Spending}, url = {https://historysaid.com/united-kingdom/education-spending-gdp}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }