Downloads

BN43%20Public%20Spending%202014.pdf
PDF | 1002.67 KB
This Briefing Note provides an overview of public spending in the UK. It describes the components of public spending and examines trends in expenditure in each of six main areas. Section 2 provides an overview of total public spending in the UK. Section 3 explains how the current government plans public spending. Section 4 describes the current allocation of public spending and then focuses on how the amount received by each of the six main spending areas has changed over time. Section 5 comprises a discussion of recent trends that affect all of the spending areas, such as the advent of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Section 6 concludes.
You can download an accompanying spreadsheet containing long-run spending data by function.
Authors
Report details
- DOI
- 10.1920/bn.ifs.2003.0043
- Publisher
- IFS
Suggested citation
Keynes, S and Tetlow, G. (2003). A survey of public spending in the UK. London: IFS. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/survey-public-spending-uk (accessed: 17 July 2025).
More from IFS
Understand this issue

Paul Johnson’s final episode: big challenges ahead for the UK economy
In Paul's final episode, he speaks with incoming IFS Director Helen Miller about the big economic pressures facing the UK.
9 July 2025

How to fix UK pensions?
Can the UK pensions system deliver a decent standard of living in retirement? We explore the challenges and changes needed.
4 July 2025

What's gone wrong in the Crown Courts?
Delays in serious court cases are at record highs. We ask why the Crown Court backlog is growing—and if more money alone can solve it.
19 June 2025
Policy analysis

Rachel Reeves will need to face up to fantasists on both sides
The chancellor has to somehow reconcile tax and spending, but both her own Labour MPs and the Tory opposition are still living in a dream world
7 July 2025

The Pensions Review: final recommendations
We provide concrete recommendations to improve the UK pension system to secure better standards of living for future pensioners.
2 July 2025

An immediate response to Scottish fiscal announcements
IFS researchers respond to Scottish fiscal announcements.
25 June 2025
Academic research

Future challenges for health and social care provision in the UK
We consider recent trends in health and social care productivity and the scope for future improvements.
6 June 2025

Intergenerational altruism and transfers of time and money: a life cycle perspective
We find that parental time investments increase children's human capital, but parents also enjoy time spent with children more than work.
1 July 2025

Job competition in civil service public exams and sick leave behaviour
In this paper, we investigate the impact of new openings for civil service positions on sickness absences using data from Spain between 2009 and 2015.
23 June 2025