Tax to GDP ratios

The tax to GDP ratio in the United Kingdom declined from 36.4% in 2000 to 34.4% in 2003 and then rose to reach 36.3% by 2006 before declining to 34.2% in 2009 and rising again to 35.5% in 2011. The measure has been the same as or just above the OECD average over the whole period.  In 2010, the measure was 34.9%, 1 percentage point above the OECD figure of 33.8%.

Figure 1: Tax revenue as percentage of GDP 2000 to latest available data

Tax structures

The main observations for United Kingdom are:

• Revenue from personal and corporate income taxes was 14.2% of GDP in 2000 and 12.9% in 2011.  The 2010 figure was 13.1%, above the OECD average of 11.3%.

• The tax ratio for Social security contributions was 6.2% of GDP in 2000 and 6.7% in 2011.   The 2010 figure of 6.6% was also well below the OECD average of 9.5%.

• The tax ratio for Taxes on goods and services was 11.6% of GDP in both 2000 and 2011.  The 2010 figure of 10.7% was just below the OECD average of 11.0%.

• Property tax revenues were 4.2% of GDP in 2010, more than double the OECD average of 1.9%.

Figure 2: Tax revenue main headings as percentage of GDP, 2000, 2007, 2010, 2011 

• OECD averages are not available for 2011 as 5 OECD countries have not provided data for that year.
• More comparative information about OECD member countries is contained in the tables linked within the following webpages:
  • Tax revenue trends: tax ratios changes between 2007 and 2011
  • Tax revenue trends: tax ratios changes between 1965 and 2010
  • Tax structures: latest position (2010)
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