GDP per capita in the UK 1955-2025

In 2025, gross domestic product per capita in the United Kingdom was 40,591 British pounds, compared with 40,154 pounds in the previous year. In general, while GDP per capita has grown quite consistently throughout this period, there are noticeable declines, especially between 2007 and 2009 and between 2019 and 2020, due to the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.

Why GDP per capita is stagnating in a growing economy

During the last two years that GDP per capita fell and then stagnated in the UK, the overall economy grew by 0.4 percent in 2023 and 1.1 percent in 2024. While the overall UK economy is therefore larger than it was in 2022, the UK's population has grown at a faster rate, resulting in the lower GDP per capita figure. The long-term slump in the UK's productivity, as measured by output per hour worked, has meant that the gap between GDP growth and GDP per capita growth has been widening for some time. 

Economy remains a major concern for voters

Along with immigration, the economy was seen as the main issue facing the UK, just ahead of health, and several other problems in the country. While Brexit was seen as the most important issue before COVID-19, and concerns about health were dominant throughout 2020 and 2021, the economy has generally been the primary facing voters issue since 2022. The surge in inflation throughout 2022 and 2023, and the impact this had on wages and living standards, resulted in a very tough period for UK households. As of October 2025, 63 percent of households were still noticing rising living costs, although this is down from a peak of 91 percent in August 2022.