Leadership

How Does School Spending per Pupil Differ Across the UK?

Spending per pupil is currently expected to be very similar across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2022–23, at about £7,200 per pupil.

This IFS report shows how school spending per pupil has changed across the four nations of the UK over time and how the level of COVID-related spending on schools differed.

The report illustrates that school spending per pupil is broadly similar in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, though the three nations have seen very different pressures from changing pupil numbers. Following recent boosts, school spending per pupil is now significantly higher in Scotland.

Between 2009–10 and 2018–19, spending per pupil fell by 8% in real terms in England and by 5% in real terms in Wales. In Northern Ireland, there was a fall of 8% in the shorter period between 2011–12 and 2018–19.

Since then, spending per pupil has increased across all three nations, though at slightly different rates. Spending per pupil in England grew by 7½% in real terms between 2018–19 and 2022–23. This mostly reflects increases in funding announced at recent spending reviews.

In Wales, spending per pupil rose by 8% in real terms between 2018–19 and 2022–23, a similar rate of growth to England.

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