Collection

Statistics about personal incomes

Find statistics about UK taxpayers, their income, and the Income Tax they are liable for.

The Survey of Personal Incomes

Statistics about personal incomes are assessed using the annual Survey of Personal Incomes. The SPI is based on information held by HMRC about individuals who could be liable for UK Income Tax and covers income that can be assessed for tax for each tax year. Data for the SPI is sampled from HMRC administrative systems.

The statistics in this collection cover:

  • National Statistics tables 3.1 to 3.11, 3.16 and 3.17
  • National Statistics tables 3.12 to 3.15a (geographical breakdowns)

Most tables exclude individuals who are not taxpayers unless otherwise stated.

You can find the latest publication in the section titled ‘National Statistics’. National Statistics are Accredited Official statistics.

You can find publications for previous tax years in the section titled ‘Previous publications’.

Individual tables for the latest tax year and previous tax years are available.

You can find tables for tax years 2009 to 2010 and earlier on the National Archives website.

Supporting documentation on the methodology used to produce these statistics is available in the release for each tax year.

Note: comparisons over time may be affected by changes in methodology. Notably, there was a revision to the grossing factors in the 2018 to 2019 publication, which is discussed in the commentary and supporting documentation for that tax year. Further details, including a summary of significant methodological changes over time, data suitability and coverage, are included in the Background Quality Report.

Release schedule

These statistics are published annually, usually in February or March. You can find the release dates on the HMRC national statistics release schedule. Any changes to the publication date will also be announced there.

Income Tax liabilities and distributions

HMRC also produce statistics on Income Tax liabilities and receipts. Use these to find out:

  • how much tax is paid and collected by HMRC in any given year, and how tax is collected
  • detailed breakdowns of the number of people paying Income Tax and the distribution of Income Tax liabilities across taxpayers and tax bands

HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK

HMRC also produce statistics on tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK. Use these to find out:

  • monthly receipts for the last four tax years from tax and duties, National Insurance Contributions, and fines and penalties that HMRC are responsible for administering
  • analysis on observed trends in tax receipts

PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) Statistics

Experimental monthly estimates of payrolled employees and their pay from HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) data. This is a joint release between HMRC and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

ONS guide to sources of data on income and earnings

This guide outlines the different data sources and outputs that feed into the analysis of income and earnings within the UK. It explains important information for each data source, including what data are available and the sources’ main uses, strengths and limitations.

Contact details

If you want to give feedback on these statistics, please contact:

M Whent

Email: spi.enquiries@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

National statistics

Other statistics information

Previous publications

Updates to this page

Published 9 July 2013
Last updated 29 February 2024 + show all updates
  1. The document collection has been updated with the new publication covering tax year 2021 to 2022.

  2. Publication of the updated Quality report for the Personal Incomes Statistics release for tax years from 2020 to 2021

  3. Personal Incomes Statistics for the tax year 2020 to 2021

  4. Published 2 new titles for the tax year 2019 to 2020 - 'Personal incomes: tables 3.1 to 3.11, 3.16 and 3.17 for the tax year 2019 to 2020' and 'Personal incomes: tables 3.12 to 3.15a for the tax year 2019 to 2020'.

  5. Publication of Personal Income Statistics for 2019-20

  6. Published tables 3.12 to 3.15a for the tax year 2018 to 2019

  7. Data added: National Statistics: Tables 3.1 to 3.11 and 3.16 to 3.17 for 2018 to 2019

  8. Changed the date the statistics are usually published from January or February to February or March. Tables 3.16 and 3.17 are now classified as National Statistics rather than Official Statistics.

  9. Added tables 3.12 to 3.15a for the tax year 2017 to 2018.

  10. Tables 3.16 and 3.17 are updated to Official Statistics and updated contact details.

  11. Added tables 3.12 to 3.15a for the tax year 2016 to 2017.

  12. Updated with links to the personal incomes statistics release and new tables for the tax year 2016 to 2017.

  13. Added tables 3.12 to 3.15a for the tax year 2015 to 2016.

  14. Data added: Nat Stats: Tables 3.1 to 3.11 for 2015 to 2016

  15. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.12 to 3.15a for 2014 to 2015

  16. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.1 to 3.11 for 2014 to 2015

  17. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.12 to 3.15a for 2013 to 2014

  18. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.1 to 3.11 for 2013 to 2014

  19. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.12 to 3.15a for 2012 to 2013

  20. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.1 to 3.11 for 2012 to 2013

  21. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.12 to 3.15a for 2011 to 2012

  22. Data added: Nat Stats : Tables 3.1 to 3.11 for 2011 to 2012

  23. First published.