Fuel and travel costs are pushing prices up again
Thursday 5 November 2026
Inflation has risen to 3.1%, meaning everyday spending is getting more expensive just as household budgets are already under pressure.
Public spending per person
Public spending divided by the number of people it covers.
What it means
To compare spending across places or years, divide the amount spent by the number of residents. The answer is public spending per person, also called per capita spending. Check what spending is included: all public spending, healthcare or just one local service will give very different figures. It is an average across residents, not a cash payment to each person. To compare years fairly, also allow for changes in prices and consider changes in the population's needs.
Example
If a made-up area spends £1 million on a service for 1,000 residents, the spending is £1,000 per person. This does not mean every resident received £1,000 worth of that service.
Why it matters
Spending may rise in pounds while falling per person as a population grows, or rising less than prices. This measure helps reveal that difference.
Also known as
per capita public spending
Related terms
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Budget deficit
The gap when the government and wider public sector spend more than they receive over a period.
Read more -
Fiscal policy
Government decisions about taxes, spending and borrowing.
Read more -
Real terms
A way of comparing money in different years after allowing for changes in prices.
Read more -
Tax expenditure
Support provided through a targeted tax break instead of a direct payment from public funds.
Read more
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News
Highlights from about the UK economy, the UK government and the UK public sector.
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A higher energy price cap means many households will be paying more to heat and power their homes during the colder months.
Guides and insights
Analysis
Clear, accessible analysis of the economic issues shaping everyday life
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Comparing the cost of everyday life across generations, from bread and beer to buying a home.
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How farming, energy, transport and supermarket competition shape the price on the shelf.
Prices & inflation
Inflation is falling. What happens next?
What slower price rises mean for wages, purchasing power and economic recovery.
Shared prosperity
What would shared prosperity look like?
Beyond GDP: how we could measure economic success through security, opportunity and living standards.
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