Political Polarization Score in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Political Polarization Score was -0.281 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
-0.281
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
107th
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.031
in 2021
All-time low
-0.828
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Political Polarization Score in United Kingdom, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for political polarization score in United Kingdom is -0.281, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 66.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, political polarization score in United Kingdom peaked at 0.031 in 2021 and was at its lowest, -0.828, in 1900.
United Kingdom ranks 107th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.
Political Polarization Score in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.828 | — |
| 1901 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -0.828 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -0.124 | -85.0% |
| 2018 | -0.124 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -0.124 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -0.124 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.031 | -125.0% |
| 2022 | -0.102 | -429.0% |
| 2023 | -0.281 | +175.5% |
| 2024 | -0.281 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -0.281 | -0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's -0.281 is above the median for high income countries, which is -0.532, 53% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's -0.281 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.0895, 3.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.828 | -0.828 | -0.828 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.6168 | -0.828 | -0.124 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.173 | -0.281 | 0.031 | 6 |
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 political polarization score in United Kingdom?
- Political polarization score in United Kingdom was -0.281 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest political polarization score recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.031 in 2021.
- What is the lowest political polarization score recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.828 in 1900.
- How does United Kingdom rank for political polarization score?
- United Kingdom ranks 107th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is political polarization score rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Political Polarization Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which society is divided into hostile political camps, where political differences undermine social relationships and discourage interaction across ideological lines.