Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) was 1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
28th
of 206 countries
All-time high
1.89 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2005
All-time low
1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2023
Years of data
27
1996–2025

Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate in United Kingdom, 1996–2025

00.511.521996201020251996: 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.51998: 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.52000: 1.8 approx. -2.5 to +2.52002: 1.8 approx. -2.5 to +2.52003: 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.52004: 1.6 approx. -2.5 to +2.52005: 1.9 approx. -2.5 to +2.52006: 1.8 approx. -2.5 to +2.52007: 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.52008: 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.52009: 1.5 approx. -2.5 to +2.52010: 1.5 approx. -2.5 to +2.52011: 1.5 approx. -2.5 to +2.52012: 1.5 approx. -2.5 to +2.52013: 1.4 approx. -2.5 to +2.52014: 1.6 approx. -2.5 to +2.52015: 1.6 approx. -2.5 to +2.52016: 1.6 approx. -2.5 to +2.52017: 1.6 approx. -2.5 to +2.52018: 1.5 approx. -2.5 to +2.52019: 1.4 approx. -2.5 to +2.52020: 1.4 approx. -2.5 to +2.52021: 1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.52022: 1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.52023: 1.1 approx. -2.5 to +2.52024: 1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.52025: 1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.5

Source: World Bank. Measured in approx. -2.5 to +2.5.

Analysis

In 2025, government effectiveness - governance estimate in United Kingdom stood at 1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5.

That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and down 22.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government effectiveness - governance estimate in United Kingdom peaked at 1.89 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, in 2023.

United Kingdom ranks 28th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.

Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in United Kingdom, 1996 to 2025.
Year approx. -2.5 to +2.5 Change
1996 1.71 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 —
1998 1.69 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.3%
2000 1.77 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +4.4%
2002 1.82 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +2.7%
2003 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -6.1%
2004 1.63 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -4.2%
2005 1.89 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +15.6%
2006 1.75 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -7.3%
2007 1.71 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.2%
2008 1.68 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.7%
2009 1.53 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -9.2%
2010 1.5 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.0%
2011 1.48 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -1.3%
2012 1.49 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +1.0%
2013 1.42 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -5.1%
2014 1.61 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +13.3%
2015 1.59 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.8%
2016 1.61 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +0.8%
2017 1.55 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -3.4%
2018 1.52 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.2%
2019 1.39 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -8.5%
2020 1.35 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.4%
2021 1.33 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -2.1%
2022 1.27 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -4.0%
2023 1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -11.8%
2024 1.2 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +6.8%
2025 1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +2.8%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 1.2× the median. (74 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8309 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 1.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.69 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.71 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 2
2000s 1.72 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.53 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.89 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 9
2010s 1.51 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.39 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.61 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 10
2020s 1.25 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 1.35 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 25 Belgium 1.32 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  2. 26 Lithuania 1.24 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  3. 27 Czechia 1.24 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  4. 29 Guam 1.21 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  5. 30 France 1.21 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  6. 31 Israel 1.19 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare

See the full ranking of 206 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is government effectiveness - governance estimate in United Kingdom?
Government effectiveness - governance estimate in United Kingdom was 1.23 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 1.89 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2005.
What is the lowest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2023.
How does United Kingdom rank for government effectiveness - governance estimate?
United Kingdom ranks 28th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
Is government effectiveness - governance estimate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate in United Kingdom. Statizoid. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/government-effectiveness-governance-estimate-approx-2-5-to-2-5-2/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5)
Unit
approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
206 places, 5,392 data points, 1996–2025
Last refreshed