What it means: what the public sector spends on services each year, grouped by what the money is for, using the international COFOG categories. All years are shown in 2025-26 prices, so the chart shows real changes rather than inflation. Social protection is mostly state pensions and benefits. The 2020-21 spike in business and industry is Covid support such as the furlough scheme. Debt interest rose sharply in 2022-23 when inflation pushed up payments on index-linked bonds. Total managed expenditure, which adds accounting items such as depreciation, was £1,360bn.

Source: HM Treasury, Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2026, table 4.3 (UK, real terms). "Other" is general public services excluding debt interest, plus recreation and culture and EU transactions.