Income share held by highest 20% in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Income share held by highest 20% was 40.0% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Income share held by highest 20% 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
The most recent figure for income share held by highest 20% in United Kingdom is 40.0%, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by highest 20% in United Kingdom peaked at 45.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 36.6%, in 1978.
That places United Kingdom 81st 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.
Income share held by highest 20% in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 36.7% | — |
| 1969 | 37.5% | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 37.6% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 38.6% | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 37.9% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 38.2% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 38.2% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 37.3% | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 37.1% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 36.8% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 36.6% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 37.0% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 37.8% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 38.6% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 38.8% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 38.7% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 38.1% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 39.1% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 40.2% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 41.9% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 42.2% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 41.1% | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 42.9% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 42.3% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 42.3% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 42.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 43.2% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 42.8% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 42.6% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 43.0% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 43.7% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 43.8% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 45.8% | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 44.3% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 42.7% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 42.4% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 42.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 42.8% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 43.3% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 41.8% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 42.8% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 41.5% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 41.0% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 41.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 40.5% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 40.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 40.9% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 40.6% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 40.2% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 41.1% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 40.3% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 40.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 40.0% | -0.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 40.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 39.9%, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 40.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 39.1%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.1% | 36.7% | 37.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 37.5% | 36.6% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.6% | 37.8% | 42.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.9% | 42.3% | 43.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.1% | 41.8% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.8% | 40.2% | 41.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.1% | 40.0% | 40.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 78 South Korea 40.3% compare
- 79 Spain 40.2% compare
- 80 Bangladesh 40.1% compare
- 81 Mauritania 40.0% compare
- 81 Uzbekistan 40.0% compare
- 84 Serbia 39.9% compare
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 income share held by highest 20% in United Kingdom?
- Income share held by highest 20% in United Kingdom was 40.0% 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 income share held by highest 20% recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 45.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest income share held by highest 20% recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.6% in 1978.
- How does United Kingdom rank for income share held by highest 20%?
- United Kingdom ranks 81st out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Is income share held by highest 20% 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 Income share held by highest 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.