Debt in context

Large sums mean more when set beside things we recognise. Here is the debt, and the yearly interest on it, next to annual spending areas.

Annual debt interest (£111 billion) compared with…

Annual debt interest as a share of each spending area
Spending area	Annual amount	Interest is about
NHS / health	£200 bn	56% of it
Education	£116 bn	96% of it
Defence	£56 bn	198% of it
State pension	£125 bn	89% of it
Welfare and social protection (total)	£334 bn	33% of it
Total tax receipts	£1,120 bn	10% of it

Total net debt as a multiple of each annual spending area
Spending area	Annual amount	Debt is about
NHS / health	£200 bn	14.6× a year
Education	£116 bn	25.1× a year
Defence	£56 bn	52.1× a year
State pension	£125 bn	23.3× a year
Welfare and social protection (total)	£334 bn	8.7× a year
Total tax receipts	£1,120 bn	2.6× a year

Spending figures: HM Treasury and related departmental sources, fiscal year 2025-26. Retrieved 10 June 2026. estimated