Gini index in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Gini index was 32.4 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Gini index in United Kingdom, 1968–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 32.4 for gini index in 2021.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gini index in United Kingdom peaked at 38.9 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 26.8, in 1968.
That places United Kingdom 82nd out of 123 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Gini index in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 26.8 | — |
| 1969 | 27.9 | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 29.3 | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 28.8 | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 28.8 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 29 | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 27.9 | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 27.6 | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 27.1 | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 27.4 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 28.5 | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 29.7 | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 29.9 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 29.8 | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 29.2 | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 30.4 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 31.9 | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 33.9 | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 34.3 | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 33.4 | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 35.7 | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 35 | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 35 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 35.1 | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 36 | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 35.5 | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 35.3 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 35.7 | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 36.6 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 36.8 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 38.9 | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 37.1 | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 35.1 | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 34.9 | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 34.8 | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 35.5 | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 35.9 | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 34.4 | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 35.4 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 35.1 | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 33.7 | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 33.2 | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 33.1 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 32.7 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 33.1 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 33.3 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 33.1 | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 32.6 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 33.7 | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 32.8 | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 32.7 | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 32.4 | -0.9% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 32.4 is above the median for high income countries, which is 32.05, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 32.4 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.65, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.35 | 26.8 | 27.9 | 2 |
| 1970s | 28.11 | 27.1 | 29.3 | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.1 | 28.5 | 34.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.67 | 35 | 36.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.71 | 34.4 | 38.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.13 | 32.6 | 33.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.55 | 32.4 | 32.7 | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More poverty & inequality data for United Kingdom
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.56 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 7,138 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -7.54 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 34.91 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 34.9% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gini index in United Kingdom?
- Gini index in United Kingdom was 32.4 in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest gini index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 38.9 in 2000.
- What is the lowest gini index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.8 in 1968.
- How does United Kingdom rank for gini index?
- United Kingdom ranks 82nd out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Is gini index rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Gini index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.