Research and analysis
Data investment in the UK, 2024
This report estimates the total value of data investment in the UK economy in 2024. It includes a time series for data investment in the public sector.
Documents
Details
This report estimates the total value of data investment in the UK economy in 2024, covering the time series from 2009 to 2024. It builds on previous work to estimate data investment in both the market and non-market sectors between 2012 and 2020 in Data, intangible capital, and productivity: literature review, theoretical framework and empirical evidence on the UK. The report estimates a time series for data investment in the public sector for the first time.
Key findings
- Total data investment in the UK economy is estimated at £287 – 303 billion in 2024, equivalent to approximately 11 – 12% of UK Gross Value Added (GVA)
- Total data investment has grown in real terms from £157 – 178 billion in 2009 to £287 – 303 billion in 2024, a compound annual growth rate between 3.6 – 4.1% per year
- Data investment in the public sector is estimated at £47 – 48 billion in 2024, representing 16% of total data investment and 2% of UK GVA
- Data investment in the public sector has lagged investment in the broader economy slightly, with a compound annual growth rate between 2.8 – 4.0% per year between 2009 and 2024, this can be divided into two periods: 2009 to 2018 where it grew 0 – 1.3% per year, and 2019 to 2024 where it grew 8.5 – 9.3% per year
Updates to this page
Published 31 March 2026