Wage bill as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Wage bill as a percentage of GDP was 9.7% in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)
9.7%
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
72nd
of 191 countries
All-time high
10.7%
in 2009
All-time low
8.7%
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Wage bill as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2022

02.557.5102000201120222000: 8.72001: 9.12002: 9.42003: 9.72004: 10.12005: 10.32006: 10.32007: 10.12008: 10.12009: 10.72010: 10.62011: 10.22012: 102013: 9.42014: 9.22015: 92016: 8.92017: 8.82018: 8.82019: 92020: 10.22021: 10.22022: 9.7

Source: World Bank.

Analysis

In 2022, wage bill as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 9.7%.

That represents a change of down 4.9% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, wage bill as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 10.7% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 2000.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 72nd out of 191 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

Wage bill as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Wage bill as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 8.7%
2001 9.1% +4.6%
2002 9.4% +3.3%
2003 9.7% +3.2%
2004 10.1% +4.1%
2005 10.3% +2.0%
2006 10.3% +0.0%
2007 10.1% -1.9%
2008 10.1% +0.0%
2009 10.7% +5.9%
2010 10.6% -0.9%
2011 10.2% -3.8%
2012 10.0% -2.0%
2013 9.4% -6.0%
2014 9.2% -2.1%
2015 9.0% -2.2%
2016 8.9% -1.1%
2017 8.8% -1.1%
2018 8.8% +0.0%
2019 9.0% +2.3%
2020 10.2% +13.3%
2021 10.2% +0.0%
2022 9.7% -4.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 9.8% 8.7% 10.7% 10
2010s 9.4% 8.8% 10.6% 10
2020s 10.0% 9.7% 10.2% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 69 Poland 10.0% compare
  2. 70 Brazil 9.8% compare
  3. 71 Serbia 9.8% compare
  4. 73 Ecuador 9.6% compare
  5. 74 Montenegro 9.6% compare
  6. 75 Ukraine 9.3% compare

See the full ranking of 191 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 wage bill as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Wage bill as a percentage of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 9.7% in 2022, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest wage bill as a percentage of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 2009.
What is the lowest wage bill as a percentage of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 2000.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for wage bill as a percentage of gdp?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 72nd out of 191 countries with data for 2022.
Is wage bill as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Wage bill as a percentage of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Wage bill as a percentage of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/wage-bill-as-a-percentage-of-gdp/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Wage bill as a percentage of GDP
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
191 places, 4,127 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed