ONS REGIONAL
HISTORICAL FISCAL TRANSFERS

ONS use the NUTS1 region definitions. This does not diminish Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland's status as countries in their own right and is used in the most generic definition of 'region' – meaning 'a geographical area'. When regions/countries have a negative fiscal transfer it indicates that their net fiscal balances are higher than their population share of the UK's fiscal balance as a whole. 

For more informarion on how fiscal transfers are calculated and what they mean, please read our article on Fiscal Transfers. To jump to detailed data and infographics for 2016-17, 2017-18 or 2018-19, please select from the links below. 

2019-20

*A positive fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country benefits from transfers in. A negative fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country contributes towards other regions.
ONS Fiscal Position by Region 2019-20
Revenue (£m) Expenditure (£m) Net Fiscal Balance (£m) Population % Population Share of UK deficit (£m) Fiscal Transfer (£m)*
North East 26,534 37,652 -11,118 4.0% 2,305 8,813
North West 77,186 99,931 -22,745 11.0% 6,339 16,406
Yorkshire and the Humber 56,894 69,225 -12,331 8.2% 4,752 7,579
East Midlands 50,903 58,055 -7,152 7.2% 4,176 2,976
West Midlands 59,579 76,955 -17,376 8.9% 5,124 12,252
East of England 77,591 74,047 3,544 9.3% 5,385 (8,929)
London 167,267 131,191 36,076 13.4% 7,739 (43,815)
South East 130,558 110,952 19,606 13.7% 7,927 (27,533)
South West 63,866 70,054 -6,188 8.4% 4,857 1,331
Wales 31,051 45,447 -14,396 4.7% 2,722 11,674
Scotland 67,031 82,329 -15,298 8.2% 4,717 10,581
Northern Ireland 19,817 30,118 -10,301 2.8% 1,635 8,666

2018-19

*A positive fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country benefits from transfers in. A negative fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country contributes towards other regions.
ONS Fiscal Position by Region 2018-19
Revenue (£m) Expenditure (£m) Net Fiscal Balance (£m) Population % Population Share of UK deficit (£m) Fiscal Transfer (£m)*
North East 25,238 36,041 -10,803 4.0% 1,655 9,148
North West 74,079 94,354 -20,275 11.0% 4,541 15,734
Yorkshire and the Humber 55,828 67,281 -11,453 8.3% 3,412 8,041
East Midlands 50,256 56,613 -6,357 7.2% 2,992 3,365
West Midlands 58,763 73,778 -15,015 8.9% 3,675 11,340
East of England 77,102 73,003 4,099 9.3% 3,862 -7,961
London 161,918 123,164 38,754 13.4% 5,547 -44,301
South East 130,989 109,298 21,691 13.8% 5,688 -27,379
South West 63,873 69,466 -5,593 8.4% 3,487 2,106
England 698,046 703,000 -4,954 84.3% 34,859 -29,905
Wales 29,475 42,994 -13,519 4.7% 1,955 11,564
Scotland 65,339 78,838 -13,499 8.2% 3,387 10,112
Northern Ireland 18,487 27,888 -9,401 2.8% 1,172 8,229

2017-18

*A positive fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country benefits from transfers in. A negative fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country contributes towards other regions.
ONS Fiscal Position by Region 2017-18
Revenue (£m) Expenditure (£m) Net Fiscal Balance (£m) Population % Population Share of UK deficit (£m) Fiscal Transfer (£m)*
North East 24,529 34,756 -10,227 4.0% 2,261 7,966
North West 70,805 92,656 -21,851 11.0% 6,205 15,646
Yorkshire and the Humber 53,921 65,903 -11,982 8.3% 4,660 7,322
East Midlands 48,116 55,732 -7,616 7.2% 4,082 3,534
West Midlands 56,331 69,417 -13,086 8.9% 5,013 8,073
East of England 73,852 71,020 2,832 9.3% 5,274 -8,106
London 154,853 121,840 33,013 13.4% 7,554 -40,567
South East 125,443 107,217 18,226 13.8% 7,766 -25,992
South West 61,375 68,086 -6,711 8.4% 4,756 1,955
England 669,225 686,627 -17,402 84.2% 47,571 -30,169
Wales 28,099 42,400 -14,301 4.7% 2,671 11,630
Scotland 62,185 77,237 -15,052 8.2% 4,635 10,417
Northern Ireland 17,722 27,444 -9,722 2.8% 1,600 8,122

2016-17

*A positive fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country benefits from transfers in. A negative fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country contributes towards other regions.
ONS Fiscal Position by Region 2016-17
Revenue (£m) Expenditure (£m) Net Fiscal Balance (£m) Population % Population Share of UK deficit (£m) Fiscal Transfer (£m)*
North East 23,665 34,348 -10,683 4.0% 2,255 8,428
North West 69,517 90,363 -20,846 11.0% 6,180 14,666
Yorkshire and the Humber 52,514 65,000 -12,486 8.3% 4,641 7,845
East Midlands 47,029 54,323 -7,294 7.2% 4,048 3,246
West Midlands 54,711 69,489 -14,778 8.9% 4,976 9,802
East of England 72,112 68,686 3,426 9.3% 5,245 -8,671
London 149,433 116,684 32,749 13.4% 7,505 -40,254
South East 123,055 104,416 18,639 13.8% 7,727 -26,366
South West 59,577 66,256 -6,679 8.4% 4,723 1,956
England 651,613 669,565 -17,952 84.2% 47,299 -29,347
Wales 27,328 40,993 -13,665 4.7% 2,663 11,002
Scotland 59,926 74,778 -14,852 8.2% 4,622 10,230
Northern Ireland 17,283 26,992 -9,709 2.8% 1,593 6,316

FISCAL TRANSFER TIME SERIES 1999 to 2019

Regional / Country Net Fiscal Transfer Historical (£m Geographic Share North Sea)
Fiscal Transfer 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
North East 4,302 4,564 5,282 4,745 4,563 5,590 5,962 6,042 6,546 6,487 5,929 6,366 6,354 6,269 6,852 7,277 7,602 8,428 7,966 9,148
North West 7,340 8,519 8,183 7,461 6,988 9,013 10,086 11,993 13,485 12,324 10,803 12,093 12,647 12,940 13,133 12,888 13,820 14,666 15,646 15,734
Yorkshire and the Humber 2,391 3,260 3,326 2,769 2,068 3,526 4,369 5,121 5,846 6,107 5,607 6,135 6,219 6,033 6,427 6,723 7,730 7,845 7,322 8,041
East Midlands -488 44 -105 -809 -1,072 199 1,265 1,452 1,595 1,437 338 1,453 1,603 1,774 2,064 2,880 2,549 3,246 3,534 3,365
West Midlands 2,247 2,864 3,070 2,579 2,584 4,216 5,833 6,338 7,294 7,464 6,556 7,241 7,538 7,658 8,119 9,175 8,499 9,802 8,073 11,340
East of England -5,067 -5,219 -6,153 -6,636 -6,903 -7,273 -6,901 -7,061 -7,343 -6,868 -7,248 -6,771 -8,436 -8,652 -8,455 -7,998 -8,389 -8,671 -8,106 -7,961
London -12,382 -15,216 -12,241 -8,824 -7,426 -13,791 -17,148 -21,703 -24,980 -21,002 -16,760 -20,653 -20,837 -22,752 -27,342 -31,714 -34,675 -40,254 -40,567 -44,301
South East -12,490 -13,966 -15,341 -14,298 -14,500 -16,565 -17,821 -19,137 -19,002 -18,493 -19,451 -20,389 -22,738 -23,732 -23,718 -23,975 -25,212 -26,366 -25,992 -27,379
South West 255 1,111 666 -923 -1,043 141 301 -226 -379 -933 -2,076 -914 -454 88 698 1,145 1,438 1,956 1,955 2,106
England -13,893 -14,039 -13,314 -13,934 -14,740 -14,944 -14,052 -17,180 -16,936 -13,478 -16,301 -15,439 -18,104 -20,374 -22,223 -23,597 -26,638 -29,347 -30,169 -29,905
Wales 5,756 6,439 5,906 6,346 6,364 7,380 7,984 8,809 8,904 8,561 8,458 8,952 10,042 9,162 9,810 9,980 10,405 11,002 11,630 11,564
Scotland 3,514 2,222 2,118 2,296 3,350 2,240 429 2,712 1,720 -1,081 1,936 424 1,623 4,426 5,200 5,851 8,683 10,230 10,417 10,112
Northern Ireland 4,621 5,377 5,291 5,291 5,027 5,323 5,639 5,661 6,312 5,998 5,908 6,062 6,440 6,786 7,213 7,768 7,550 8,116 8,122 8,229
*A positive fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country benefits from transfers in. A negative fiscal transfer indicates that the region/country contributes towards other regions.

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REFERENCES & FOOTNOTES

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REAL TERMS CALCULATIONS

The Real Terms calculations above are carried out using the HMT's deflator tables. There are a number of methods for measuring inflation, however when discussing public revenue and expenditure, typically the HMT's GDP deflator is used to calculate the real terms equivalent. We have provided an easy to use Calculator for your convenience here.