Annual patent applications in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Annual patent applications was 11,592 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
11,592
Change on year
down 3.3%
World rank
9th
of 135 countries
All-time high
22,050
in 2000
All-time low
11,592
in 2021
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in United Kingdom, 1980–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 11,592 for annual patent applications in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 24.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in United Kingdom peaked at 22,050 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11,592, in 2021.
That places United Kingdom 9th out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Annual patent applications in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 19,612 | — |
| 1981 | 20,808 | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 20,530 | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 19,893 | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 19,093 | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 19,672 | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 20,040 | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 19,945 | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 20,536 | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 19,732 | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 19,310 | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 19,230 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 18,848 | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 18,727 | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 18,384 | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 18,630 | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 18,184 | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 17,938 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 19,530 | +8.9% |
| 1999 | 21,333 | +9.2% |
| 2000 | 22,050 | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 21,423 | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 20,624 | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 20,426 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 19,178 | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 17,833 | -7.0% |
| 2006 | 17,484 | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 17,375 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 16,523 | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 15,985 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 15,490 | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 15,343 | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 15,370 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 14,972 | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 15,196 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 14,867 | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 13,876 | -6.7% |
| 2017 | 13,301 | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 12,865 | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 12,061 | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 11,990 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 11,592 | -3.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 11,592 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 29.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 11,592 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 42.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19,986 | 19,093 | 20,808 | 10 |
| 1990s | 19,011 | 17,938 | 21,333 | 10 |
| 2000s | 18,890 | 15,985 | 22,050 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,334 | 12,061 | 15,490 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,791 | 11,592 | 11,990 | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More science & technology data for United Kingdom
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 121.64 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.21 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 84.10 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 348.57 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.9277 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.2704 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 97,536 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0014 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in United Kingdom?
- Annual patent applications in United Kingdom was 11,592 in 2021, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual patent applications recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 22,050 in 2000.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,592 in 2021.
- How does United Kingdom rank for annual patent applications?
- United Kingdom ranks 9th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual patent applications. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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