UK is not a high spender on welfare compared to Europe
As a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP), the UK spends just 10.8 per cent on welfare, according to the DWP; which is lower than other European countries spend on social protection (including sickness and disability benefits, pensions, and more).
25.7%
23.8%
21.4%
21.1%
20.2%
20.1%
19.7%
19.5%
18.7%
18.5%
18.5%
17.6%
17.5%
17.0%
16.9%
16.6%
16.2%
15.1%
14.0%
13.8%
13.5%
13.5%
13.5%
13.1%
13.0%
12.8%
12.3%
10.8%
10.8%
9.7%
8.1%
Finland
France*
Austria
Italy
Luxembourg
Belgium
Germany
Denmark
Sweden
Greece
Spain
Slovakia
Norway
Slovenia
Poland
Portugal
Netherlands
Cyprus
Lithuania
Bulgaria
Czechia
Estonia
Latvia
Switzerland
Croatia
Romania
Hungary
United Kingdom
Iceland
Malta
Ireland
All figures for 2023, except *France (2022 is latest available figure).
