Personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 3.46 billion current US$ in 2021. ▲ Rising
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom, 1987–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 3.46 billion current US$ for personal remittances and foreign aid received in 2021.
The figure is up 6.6% on the previous year and down 32.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom peaked at 6.56 billion current US$ in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.37 billion current US$, in 1987.
That places United Kingdom 47th out of 193 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1.37 billion current US$ | — |
| 1988 | 1.63 billion current US$ | +18.8% |
| 1989 | 1.68 billion current US$ | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 2.10 billion current US$ | +24.6% |
| 1991 | 2.09 billion current US$ | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 2.03 billion current US$ | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 1.77 billion current US$ | -13.0% |
| 1994 | 1.97 billion current US$ | +11.4% |
| 1995 | 1.40 billion current US$ | -28.9% |
| 1996 | 1.42 billion current US$ | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 1.65 billion current US$ | +16.0% |
| 1998 | 1.39 billion current US$ | -15.6% |
| 1999 | 5.45 billion current US$ | +291.3% |
| 2000 | 5.07 billion current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 4.96 billion current US$ | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 5.24 billion current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 5.69 billion current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2004 | 5.94 billion current US$ | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 6.05 billion current US$ | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 6.11 billion current US$ | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 6.56 billion current US$ | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 6.00 billion current US$ | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 5.24 billion current US$ | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 4.95 billion current US$ | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 5.10 billion current US$ | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 4.94 billion current US$ | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 4.80 billion current US$ | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 4.94 billion current US$ | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 5.00 billion current US$ | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 4.58 billion current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 4.31 billion current US$ | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 4.39 billion current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 4.21 billion current US$ | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 3.25 billion current US$ | -22.9% |
| 2021 | 3.46 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 3.46 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 688.87 million current US$, 5.0× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 3.46 billion current US$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.43 billion current US$, 1.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +291.3% | 1.39 billion current US$ | 5.45 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.56 billion current US$ | 1.37 billion current US$ | 1.68 billion current US$ | 3 |
| 1990s | 2.13 billion current US$ | 1.39 billion current US$ | 5.45 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.68 billion current US$ | 4.96 billion current US$ | 6.56 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.72 billion current US$ | 4.21 billion current US$ | 5.10 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.35 billion current US$ | 3.25 billion current US$ | 3.46 billion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
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 personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in United Kingdom was 3.46 billion current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 6.56 billion current US$ in 2007.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.37 billion current US$ in 1987.
- How does United Kingdom rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- United Kingdom ranks 47th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.