How much is the UK national debt?
The UK’s national debt, measured as public sector net debt, was £2.9 trillion at the end of 2025-26: 94% of everything the UK economy produces in a year, or about £42,089 for every person in the UK.
Public sector net debt, 2025-26. Net debt is what the whole public sector owes minus the money and easily sold assets it holds.
In August 2026, against 95.1% a year earlier.
Paid in 2025-26: about £1,875 for every person in the UK.
National debt over time
What’s this?
Public sector net debt: everything the public sector owes, minus the money and easily sold assets it holds, as a share of the economy. It is the total of past borrowing.
What it cannot tell you: A high or low figure is not by itself good or bad. What it means depends on interest rates, growth and what the borrowing paid for.
How the UK compares with other countries
Gross government debt as a share of GDP in 2025, measured the same way for every country by the IMF. The UK figure is higher than the ONS one above because the IMF does not take off the government’s assets. Compare 16 countries →
| Country | Debt, % of GDP, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Japan | 206% |
| Italy | 137% |
| United States | 124% |
| France | 116% |
| Canada | 114% |
| United Kingdom | 102% |
| Germany | 63% |
Questions people ask
What is the UK national debt?
It is the total the public sector owes, built up from past borrowing. The ONS measures it as public sector net debt: £2.9 trillion at the end of 2025-26, which is 94% of GDP.
Is the UK national debt going up?
As a share of the economy it was 93.8% in August 2026, against 95.1% a year earlier. The debt grows whenever the government borrows more than it repays. In cash terms it has risen in almost every year.
What is the difference between debt and the deficit?
Borrowing (the deficit) is the gap in one year between what the government spends and collects: £151bn in 2025-26. The debt is all that borrowing added up over many years.
How much interest does the UK pay on its debt?
About £130bn in 2025-26, around £1,875 for every person in the UK.
How does UK debt compare with other countries?
Different countries count debt differently, so we use the IMF’s single measure. On the IMF’s measure, UK government debt was 102% of GDP in 2025, the 6th highest of 16 economies we compare. See all 16 countries.
Sources: HM Treasury and the ONS (public sector finances, 2025-26); the IMF World Economic Outlook for comparisons. Updated every night.
See also: Where the government’s money goes · How much does the government borrow? · The UK against other countries · UK government spending