Where do my taxes go in the UK? (2024–25)

🇬🇧 The UK · 2024–25

In 2024–25, the UK government spent about £1.29 trillion. HM Treasury splits it into day-to-day departmental budgets (46%) and demand-led spending like pensions and benefits (42%).

See your personal tax receipt →

The biggest spending lines

Departmental expenditure limits£595.9 billion · £462 per £1,000
Your pounds are working across government departments. Overtime not included.
Resource annually managed expenditure£538.2 billion · £417 per £1,000
Some spending is demand-led. So is your online shopping.

These 2 lines add up to 88% of total spending. The rest is spread across smaller programs.

Source: HM Treasury Public Spending Statistics May 2026 ↗

And the weird stuff

Big budget lines are dull. These real British examples are not.

💾 A national NHS computer system that was scrapped£10.1 billion estimated total cost · 2013
🪖 Ajax armoured reconnaissance vehicles£3.17 billion paid by Dec 2021 · 2022
🚋 Edinburgh’s tram line£776 million cost at opening · 2014
⛺ The Millennium Dome£628 million Lottery grants · 2000
🏥 Emergency Covid field hospitals in England£530 million total cost · 2021

See all 13 examples of government waste in the UK →

Quick answers

Where do most British taxes go?

Most UK public spending goes through departmental budgets (health, schools, defence and so on) and demand-led spending such as the State Pension and benefits.

Does my tax pay for one specific thing?

No. Taxes go into a general pool. These figures show how total spending is divided, so they work as an illustration of your share, not a literal receipt.

Other countries

🇨🇦 Where do taxes go in Canada?🇺🇸 Where do taxes go in the US?🇦🇺 Where do taxes go in Australia?🇳🇿 Where do taxes go in New Zealand?