Ireland vs United Kingdom: Government spending by function
Ireland
35.5%
in 2023
United Kingdom
32.9%
in 2023
Ireland rank
22nd
United Kingdom rank
23rd
Government spending by function over time
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 35.5% against 32.9% in United Kingdom, a difference of 2.6%.
That makes Ireland's figure about 1.1 times United Kingdom's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 17 shared years of data; in 2007 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 22nd and United Kingdom ranks 23rd of 37 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.7% | 34.4% | 2.3% | Ireland |
| 2010s | 34.7% | 36.8% | 2.0% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 32.8% | 2.7% | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government spending by function, Ireland or United Kingdom?
- Ireland, at 35.5% against 32.9% in United Kingdom as of 2023.
- What is the difference in government spending by function between Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 2.6%, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2023.
- How do Ireland and United Kingdom rank globally for government spending by function?
- Ireland ranks 22nd and United Kingdom ranks 23rd of 37 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- OECD (2026) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Government spending by function. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.