Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health was 6.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
6.2%
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
71st
of 78 countries
All-time high
7.5%
in 2019
All-time low
0.4%
in 1999
Years of data
18
1995–2021

Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1995–2021

024681995200820211995: 5.1 %1999: 0.42 %2000: 5.7 %2005: 5.6 %2008: 5.8 %2009: 5.8 %2010: 6.1 %2011: 5.5 %2012: 5.8 %2013: 5.5 %2014: 6.1 %2015: 6.1 %2016: 7.2 %2017: 6.3 %2018: 6.8 %2019: 7.5 %2020: 6 %2021: 6.2 %

Source: Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 6.2%, measured in 2021.

That represents a change of up 4.5% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 7.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1999.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 71st of 78 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health expenditure, based on the societal poverty line (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1995 to 2021.
Year % Change
1995 5.1%
1999 0.4% -91.7%
2000 5.7% +1254.8%
2005 5.6% -2.3%
2008 5.8% +4.5%
2009 5.8% -0.3%
2010 6.1% +5.0%
2011 5.5% -10.4%
2012 5.8% +7.2%
2013 5.5% -5.3%
2014 6.1% +9.6%
2015 6.1% +0.7%
2016 7.2% +17.4%
2017 6.3% -11.5%
2018 6.8% +7.4%
2019 7.5% +10.1%
2020 6.0% -20.5%
2021 6.2% +4.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.7% 0.4% 5.1% 2
2000s 5.7% 5.6% 5.8% 4
2010s 6.3% 5.5% 7.5% 10
2020s 6.1% 6.0% 6.2% 2

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 68 Kazakhstan 7.0% compare
  2. 69 Croatia 6.9% compare
  3. 70 Colombia 6.3% compare
  4. 72 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.2% compare
  5. 73 Estonia 5.8% compare
  6. 74 United States of America 5.3% compare

See the full ranking of 90 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 6.2% in 2021, according to Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 7.5% in 2019.
What is the lowest proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1999.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 71st out of 78 countries with data for 2021.
Is proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health expenditure, based on the societal poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-facing-impoverishing-out-of-pocket-health-expenditure-based-on/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population facing impoverishing out-of-pocket health expenditure, based on the societal poverty line (%)
Unit
%
Source
Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
90 places, 1,155 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed

Proportion of population spending more than 100% of household discretionary budget on out-of-pocket health expenditure (%). This includes people living in poverty that are further impoverished due to out-of-pocket health expenditure as well as people who are pushed into poverty by out-of-pocket health expenditure. The discretionary budget is defined as the total household budget, measured by consumption expenditure or income, minus the societal poverty line (SPL ). Using 2017 purchasing power parities (PPPs), the SPL corresponds to whichever is greater: $2.15 (the international poverty line) or $1.15 + 50% of median household consumption expenditure or income, excluding out-of-pocket household expenditure on health. Out-of-pocket health expenditure is defined as any spending incurred by a household when any member uses a health good or service to receive any type of care (preventive, curative, rehabilitative, long-term or palliative care); provided by any type of provider; for any type of disease, illness or health condition; in any type of setting (outpatient, inpatient, at home).