UK’s healthcare spend is the second lowest in the G7 and average for Europe

The UK has the second lowest healthcare spending of the G7 nations and spent £2,989 per person in 2017.

Among comparable countries, the US had by far the biggest outgoing – spending £7,736 ($9,433) per person on average – but had a lower life expectancy.

Figures released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) ranked 36 countries by how much their healthcare costs each year.

The rankings put the UK just below mid-table in 18th, with Mexico at the bottom, spending the equivalent of £837 (Mex$20,577).

Despite its relatively low healthcare spend, the UK was notable for having among the least privately-funded medical care and no mandatory health insurance.

Figures showed the US spends by far the most money per person on healthcare, followed by Switzerland, while Mexico and Turkey spend the least among comparable countries. The UK ranked mid-table, placing 18th out of 36 nations in Europe and North America

G7 leaders and their guests met at the group of nations – the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – summit in Biarritz, France, last week

G7 leaders and their guests met at the group of nations – the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – summit in Biarritz, France, last week

The ONS figures compared healthcare costs across 36 nation members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2017.

These countries, mostly European and among them the G7, are judged to be among the most advanced economies in the world and have comparable governments.

Healthcare spending in the UK – almost 80 per cent of which is government money given to the NHS – is £700 less per year than the biggest members of the EU.

And among the G7 nations – which include the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – it only spends more than Italy (£2,559/€2,816).

But lower healthcare spending does not necessarily mean people are doomed to sickness or early death.

A comparison of costs with life expectancy, for example, showed Spain has the third highest life expectancy (83.4 years) but only the 23rd highest spending (£2,444/€2,691).

HOW MUCH DO THE G7 NATIONS SPEND ON HEALTHCARE? 

United States – £7,736 per person per year

Germany – £4,432 

France – £3,737 

Canada – £3,647 

Japan – £3,509 

United Kingdom – £2,989 

Italy – £2,559 

The US, meanwhile, had a life expectancy of 78.6 – just four months longer than Estonia despite spending five times as much as the northern European nation’s £1,607 (€1,769) per person per year.

The life expectancy at birth in the UK is 81.3, according to the report.  

Other countries making up the five biggest spenders were Switzerland (£5,417 per person per year), Norway (£4,596), Germany (£4,432) and Austria (£3,994).

In their report the statisticians wrote: ‘The United States spend per person is considerably more than any other OECD country and more than two and a half times what is spent per person in the UK.

‘While there are many reasons as to why countries spend different amounts on healthcare, the OECD report that countries spending the most tend to be high-income economies.

‘Research suggests that the high spending in the United States, compared with other countries, is partly attributable to higher prices and partly because of the consumption of a greater volume of goods and services.’

At the other end of the table, above Mexico, were Turkey (£899), Latvia (£1,250), Hungary (£1,513) and Poland (£1,553).

The UK ranked mid-table on its healthcare spending when compared to 35 other countries in Europe and North America. The United States spends significantly more per person than any other comparable nation

The UK ranked mid-table on its healthcare spending when compared to 35 other countries in Europe and North America. The United States spends significantly more per person than any other comparable nation

WHICH COUNTRIES SPEND THE MOST ON HEALTHCARE? 

  1. United States £7,736
  2. Switzerland £5,417
  3. Norway £4,596
  4. Germany £4,432
  5. Austria £3,994
  6. Sweden £3,990
  7. Netherlands £3,907
  8. Denmark £3,808
  9. France £3,737
  10. Luxembourg £3,685

(£ per person per year on average, 2017. Source: ONS)

WHICH COUNTRIES SPEND THE LEAST ON HEALTHCARE? 

  1. Mexico £837
  2. Turkey £899
  3. Latvia £1,250
  4. Hungary £1,513
  5. Poland £1,553
  6. Chile £1,588
  7. Estonia £1,607
  8. Lithuania £1,654
  9. Slovakia £1,658
  10. Greece £1,673 

(£ per person per year on average, 2017. Source: ONS) 

The average for the 15 countries which have been in the EU since 2004 was £3,663 – 22 per cent higher than the UK’s.

The UK was joined by only Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and Latvia in the ranks of countries with no mandatory health insurance income.

Some 79 per cent of its spending was public health money – for the NHS – and the remaining 21 made up of optional insurance policies.

Norway got the biggest proportion of its funding from the government, at 85.5 per cent, and the remaining 14.5 per cent from private insurance.

France, Germany and Luxembourg, meanwhile, got almost 80 per cent of their money from mandatory insurance schemes, while optional private insurance was the biggest single contributor in Mexico, the US and Greece.

HOW MUCH DO THE COUNTRIES SPEND ON HEALTHCARE PER PERSON PER YEAR? (Source: Office for National Statistics, figures for 2017) 
Country Healthcare spend
per person per year
Country Healthcare spend
per person per year
United States £7,736 New Zealand £2,836
Switzerland £5,417 Italy £2,559
Norway £4,596 Spain £2,444
Germany £4,432 South Korea £2,175
Austria £3,994 Czech Republic £2,160
Sweden £3,990 Slovenia £2,123
Netherlands £3,907 Portugal £2,091
Denmark £3,808 Israel £2,021
France £3,737 Greece £1,673
Luxembourg £3,685 Slovakia £1,658
Belgium £3,663 Lithuania £1,654
Canada £3,647 Estonia £1,607
Australia £3,631 Chile £1,588
Ireland £3,510 Poland £1,553
Japan £3,509 Hungary £1,513
Iceland £3,148 Latvia £1,250
Finland £3,129 Turkey £899
United Kingdom £2,989 Mexico £837

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