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Research & development spending as a share of GDP in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 2.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
2.7%
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
12th
of 116 countries
All-time high
2.9%
in 2020
All-time low
1.5%
in 2004
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Research & development spending as a share of GDP in United Kingdom, 1996–2023

01231996200920231996: 1.6 % of GDP1997: 1.5 % of GDP1998: 1.5 % of GDP1999: 1.6 % of GDP2000: 1.6 % of GDP2001: 1.6 % of GDP2002: 1.6 % of GDP2003: 1.6 % of GDP2004: 1.5 % of GDP2005: 1.6 % of GDP2006: 1.6 % of GDP2007: 1.6 % of GDP2008: 1.6 % of GDP2009: 1.7 % of GDP2010: 1.6 % of GDP2011: 1.6 % of GDP2012: 1.6 % of GDP2013: 1.6 % of GDP2014: 2.3 % of GDP2015: 2.3 % of GDP2016: 2.3 % of GDP2017: 2.3 % of GDP2018: 2.7 % of GDP2019: 2.7 % of GDP2020: 2.9 % of GDP2021: 2.9 % of GDP2022: 2.8 % of GDP2023: 2.7 % of GDP

Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 2.7% for research & development spending as a share of gdp in 2023.

The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and up 65.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in United Kingdom peaked at 2.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 2004.

That places United Kingdom 12th out of 116 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.6% 1.5% 1.6% 4
2000s 1.6% 1.5% 1.7% 10
2010s 2.1% 1.6% 2.7% 10
2020s 2.8% 2.7% 2.9% 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 9 Germany 3.2% compare
  2. 10 Finland 3.1% compare
  3. 11 Denmark 3.0% compare
  4. 13 Iceland 2.6% compare
  5. 14 China 2.6% compare
  6. 15 Netherlands 2.3% compare

See the full ranking of 116 places →

More science & technology data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in United Kingdom?
Research & development spending as a share of gdp in United Kingdom was 2.7% in 2023, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 2020.
What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 2004.
How does United Kingdom rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
United Kingdom ranks 12th out of 116 countries with data for 2023.
Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 65.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
116 places, 2,375 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.