About this data

Source: Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), Public finances databank, October 2026

• 'Taxes' are National Accounts taxes: all taxes and National Insurance contributions paid to central and local government, as measured in the national accounts. Public sector current receipts also include other income, such as interest, dividends and the profits of public corporations.
• Taxes are shown from 1948-49, when the national accounts measure starts. All receipts are shown from 1900-01, using OBR's long-run series, which uses Bank of England historical data before 1946-47.
• Figures are outturn only. OBR forecasts taxes to rise to 37.9% of GDP in 2027-28 and 38.6% in 2031-32.

This chart appears in Taxation.