External balance on goods and services in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: External balance on goods and services was -38.41 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in United Kingdom, 1970–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded -38.41 billion current LCU for external balance on goods and services in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of down 82.8% on the previous year and down 45.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in United Kingdom peaked at 15.67 billion current LCU in 2020 and was at its lowest, -38.41 billion current LCU, in 2025.
United Kingdom ranks 124th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -81.44 million current LCU | -4.00 billion current LCU | 2.85 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -776.12 million current LCU | -19.23 billion current LCU | 8.38 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.39 billion current LCU | -10.96 billion current LCU | 5.11 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -25.34 billion current LCU | -30.78 billion current LCU | -13.54 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -25.13 billion current LCU | -34.41 billion current LCU | -13.26 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -17.12 billion current LCU | -38.41 billion current LCU | 15.67 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom
- DEC alternative conversion factor 0.7595 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -17.71 billion current LCU (2024)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -22.63 billion current US$ (2024)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 297.09 billion current LCU (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 391.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Net primary income (Net income from abroad) -20.96 billion current LCU (2024)
- Net primary income (Net income from abroad) -26.79 billion current US$ (2024)
- GNI per capita 43,477 current LCU (2025)
- GNI per capita, Atlas method 54,550 current US$ (2025)
- GNI 3.02 trillion current LCU (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in United Kingdom?
- External balance on goods and services in United Kingdom was -38.41 billion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 15.67 billion current LCU in 2020.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -38.41 billion current LCU in 2025.
- How does United Kingdom rank for external balance on goods and services?
- United Kingdom ranks 124th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.