Military spending per armed forces personnel in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 463,783 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
463,783 constant 2024 US$
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
4th
of 160 countries
All-time high
488,083 constant 2024 US$
in 2008
All-time low
236,107 constant 2024 US$
in 1989
Years of data
33
1985–2020
Military spending per armed forces personnel in United Kingdom, 1985–2020
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 463,783 constant 2024 US$ for military spending per armed forces personnel in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in United Kingdom peaked at 488,083 constant 2024 US$ in 2008 and was at its lowest, 236,107 constant 2024 US$, in 1989.
That places United Kingdom 4th out of 160 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 236,486 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 236,107 constant 2024 US$ | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 244,121 constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 252,683 constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 242,457 constant 2024 US$ | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 250,166 constant 2024 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 256,536 constant 2024 US$ | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 265,399 constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 277,135 constant 2024 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 270,972 constant 2024 US$ | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 271,858 constant 2024 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 270,409 constant 2024 US$ | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 282,993 constant 2024 US$ | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 295,732 constant 2024 US$ | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 314,802 constant 2024 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 333,726 constant 2024 US$ | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 350,393 constant 2024 US$ | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 334,111 constant 2024 US$ | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 402,402 constant 2024 US$ | +20.4% |
| 2007 | 467,611 constant 2024 US$ | +16.2% |
| 2008 | 488,083 constant 2024 US$ | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 444,581 constant 2024 US$ | -8.9% |
| 2010 | 448,287 constant 2024 US$ | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 455,016 constant 2024 US$ | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 433,228 constant 2024 US$ | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 443,615 constant 2024 US$ | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 448,216 constant 2024 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 437,634 constant 2024 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 442,204 constant 2024 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 449,747 constant 2024 US$ | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 451,758 constant 2024 US$ | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 468,788 constant 2024 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 463,783 constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 463,783 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 131,220 constant 2024 US$, 3.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 463,783 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 55,593 constant 2024 US$, 8.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 236,296 constant 2024 US$ | 236,107 constant 2024 US$ | 236,486 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 260,174 constant 2024 US$ | 242,457 constant 2024 US$ | 277,135 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 371,443 constant 2024 US$ | 282,993 constant 2024 US$ | 488,083 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 447,849 constant 2024 US$ | 433,228 constant 2024 US$ | 468,788 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 463,783 constant 2024 US$ | 463,783 constant 2024 US$ | 463,783 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 1 United States 676,306 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 2 Yemen 615,959 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 3 Australia 521,125 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 5 Sweden 450,217 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 6 United Arab Emirates 441,390 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 7 Luxembourg 398,108 constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in United Kingdom?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in United Kingdom was 463,783 constant 2024 US$ in 2020, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 488,083 constant 2024 US$ in 2008.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 236,107 constant 2024 US$ in 1989.
- How does United Kingdom rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- United Kingdom ranks 4th out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total military expenditure divided by armed forces personnel. This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.