Public Sector Net Debt
UK public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP
Net Debt (% GDP)
Public sector net debt is the total amount of money the government owes, minus liquid financial assets (like foreign currency reserves). It excludes public sector banks.
Expressing it as a percentage of GDP puts it in context: a debt of £2.5 trillion is more significant for a smaller economy than a larger one.
Debt typically rises during recessions (when tax receipts fall and spending increases) and may fall during growth periods (when tax receipts rise and spending pressures ease).
Net Debt History
Public sector net debt excluding public sector banks as a percentage of GDP.
Related: Debt Interest Pressure
Shows what share of tax receipts goes toward paying interest on the national debt.
Derived indicator: (debt interest / tax receipts) * 100. Higher values indicate greater fiscal pressure.
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Dataset: Public Sector Finances (PUSF)
Series ID: HF6X
Measure: Public sector net debt excluding public sector banks as a % of GDP (NSA)
Frequency: Monthly