What is freedom of expression index in United Kingdom?

Freedom of expression index in United Kingdom was 0.833 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in United Kingdom?

The highest recorded value was 0.964 in 2006.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in United Kingdom?

The lowest recorded value was 0.599 in 1816.

How does United Kingdom rank for freedom of expression index?

United Kingdom ranks 53rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in United Kingdom?

Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this United Kingdom data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in United Kingdom

Name: Freedom of Expression Index in United Kingdom
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United Kingdom: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.833 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.833

Change on year

down 9.0%

World rank

53rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.964

in 2006

All-time low

0.599

in 1816

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in United Kingdom, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 0.833 for freedom of expression index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in United Kingdom peaked at 0.964 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.599, in 1816.

That places United Kingdom 53rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Freedom of Expression Index in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in United Kingdom, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.702	—
1790	0.702	+0.0%
1791	0.702	+0.0%
1792	0.674	-4.0%
1793	0.674	+0.0%
1794	0.674	+0.0%
1795	0.643	-4.6%
1796	0.643	+0.0%
1797	0.643	+0.0%
1798	0.643	+0.0%
1799	0.643	+0.0%
1800	0.643	+0.0%
1801	0.643	+0.0%
1802	0.643	+0.0%
1803	0.643	+0.0%
1804	0.643	+0.0%
1805	0.643	+0.0%
1806	0.643	+0.0%
1807	0.643	+0.0%
1808	0.643	+0.0%
1809	0.643	+0.0%
1810	0.643	+0.0%
1811	0.643	+0.0%
1812	0.643	+0.0%
1813	0.643	+0.0%
1814	0.643	+0.0%
1815	0.643	+0.0%
1816	0.599	-6.8%
1817	0.599	+0.0%
1818	0.599	+0.0%
1819	0.599	+0.0%
1820	0.636	+6.2%
1821	0.636	+0.0%
1822	0.636	+0.0%
1823	0.636	+0.0%
1824	0.636	+0.0%
1825	0.669	+5.2%
1826	0.72	+7.6%
1827	0.72	+0.0%
1828	0.72	+0.0%
1829	0.72	+0.0%
1830	0.72	+0.0%
1831	0.72	+0.0%
1832	0.72	+0.0%
1833	0.72	+0.0%
1834	0.72	+0.0%
1835	0.72	+0.0%
1836	0.72	+0.0%
1837	0.72	+0.0%
1838	0.72	+0.0%
1839	0.72	+0.0%
1840	0.78	+8.3%
1841	0.78	+0.0%
1842	0.78	+0.0%
1843	0.78	+0.0%
1844	0.78	+0.0%
1845	0.78	+0.0%
1846	0.78	+0.0%
1847	0.78	+0.0%
1848	0.78	+0.0%
1849	0.78	+0.0%
1850	0.793	+1.7%
1851	0.809	+2.0%
1852	0.809	+0.0%
1853	0.809	+0.0%
1854	0.809	+0.0%
1855	0.809	+0.0%
1856	0.809	+0.0%
1857	0.809	+0.0%
1858	0.809	+0.0%
1859	0.809	+0.0%
1860	0.809	+0.0%
1861	0.809	+0.0%
1862	0.809	+0.0%
1863	0.809	+0.0%
1864	0.809	+0.0%
1865	0.809	+0.0%
1866	0.809	+0.0%
1867	0.809	+0.0%
1868	0.809	+0.0%
1869	0.809	+0.0%
1870	0.809	+0.0%
1871	0.809	+0.0%
1872	0.809	+0.0%
1873	0.83	+2.6%
1874	0.83	+0.0%
1875	0.83	+0.0%
1876	0.83	+0.0%
1877	0.83	+0.0%
1878	0.83	+0.0%
1879	0.83	+0.0%
1880	0.83	+0.0%
1881	0.83	+0.0%
1882	0.83	+0.0%
1883	0.83	+0.0%
1884	0.83	+0.0%
1885	0.83	+0.0%
1886	0.83	+0.0%
1887	0.83	+0.0%
1888	0.83	+0.0%
1889	0.83	+0.0%
1890	0.83	+0.0%
1891	0.83	+0.0%
1892	0.83	+0.0%
1893	0.83	+0.0%
1894	0.83	+0.0%
1895	0.83	+0.0%
1896	0.83	+0.0%
1897	0.83	+0.0%
1898	0.83	+0.0%
1899	0.83	+0.0%
1900	0.852	+2.7%
1901	0.847	-0.6%
1902	0.847	+0.0%
1903	0.847	+0.0%
1904	0.847	+0.0%
1905	0.847	+0.0%
1906	0.847	+0.0%
1907	0.847	+0.0%
1908	0.847	+0.0%
1909	0.847	+0.0%
1910	0.847	+0.0%
1911	0.847	+0.0%
1912	0.847	+0.0%
1913	0.847	+0.0%
1914	0.8	-5.5%
1915	0.786	-1.8%
1916	0.786	+0.0%
1917	0.786	+0.0%
1918	0.786	+0.0%
1919	0.844	+7.4%
1920	0.851	+0.8%
1921	0.851	+0.0%
1922	0.851	+0.0%
1923	0.851	+0.0%
1924	0.851	+0.0%
1925	0.851	+0.0%
1926	0.851	+0.0%
1927	0.851	+0.0%
1928	0.851	+0.0%
1929	0.851	+0.0%
1930	0.856	+0.6%
1931	0.848	-0.9%
1932	0.848	+0.0%
1933	0.848	+0.0%
1934	0.848	+0.0%
1935	0.848	+0.0%
1936	0.85	+0.2%
1937	0.85	+0.0%
1938	0.85	+0.0%
1939	0.795	-6.5%
1940	0.795	+0.0%
1941	0.795	+0.0%
1942	0.795	+0.0%
1943	0.795	+0.0%
1944	0.795	+0.0%
1945	0.795	+0.0%
1946	0.904	+13.7%
1947	0.907	+0.3%
1948	0.907	+0.0%
1949	0.907	+0.0%
1950	0.907	+0.0%
1951	0.907	+0.0%
1952	0.907	+0.0%
1953	0.907	+0.0%
1954	0.907	+0.0%
1955	0.907	+0.0%
1956	0.907	+0.0%
1957	0.907	+0.0%
1958	0.907	+0.0%
1959	0.907	+0.0%
1960	0.907	+0.0%
1961	0.907	+0.0%
1962	0.907	+0.0%
1963	0.907	+0.0%
1964	0.907	+0.0%
1965	0.913	+0.7%
1966	0.913	+0.0%
1967	0.922	+1.0%
1968	0.902	-2.2%
1969	0.902	+0.0%
1970	0.913	+1.2%
1971	0.913	+0.0%
1972	0.913	+0.0%
1973	0.913	+0.0%
1974	0.913	+0.0%
1975	0.913	+0.0%
1976	0.913	+0.0%
1977	0.913	+0.0%
1978	0.913	+0.0%
1979	0.902	-1.2%
1980	0.891	-1.2%
1981	0.891	+0.0%
1982	0.891	+0.0%
1983	0.891	+0.0%
1984	0.891	+0.0%
1985	0.891	+0.0%
1986	0.891	+0.0%
1987	0.891	+0.0%
1988	0.891	+0.0%
1989	0.891	+0.0%
1990	0.915	+2.7%
1991	0.915	+0.0%
1992	0.915	+0.0%
1993	0.915	+0.0%
1994	0.915	+0.0%
1995	0.915	+0.0%
1996	0.915	+0.0%
1997	0.915	+0.0%
1998	0.915	+0.0%
1999	0.942	+3.0%
2000	0.953	+1.2%
2001	0.96	+0.7%
2002	0.96	+0.0%
2003	0.96	+0.0%
2004	0.96	+0.0%
2005	0.96	+0.0%
2006	0.964	+0.4%
2007	0.964	+0.0%
2008	0.964	+0.0%
2009	0.964	+0.0%
2010	0.959	-0.5%
2011	0.959	+0.0%
2012	0.961	+0.2%
2013	0.951	-1.0%
2014	0.947	-0.4%
2015	0.947	+0.0%
2016	0.947	+0.0%
2017	0.96	+1.4%
2018	0.96	+0.0%
2019	0.958	-0.2%
2020	0.956	-0.2%
2021	0.938	-1.9%
2022	0.93	-0.9%
2023	0.936	+0.6%
2024	0.915	-2.2%
2025	0.833	-9.0%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

United Kingdom's 0.833 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.874, 95% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
United Kingdom's 0.833 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7935, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.702	0.702	0.702	1
1790s	0.6641	0.643	0.702	10
1800s	0.643	0.643	0.643	10
1810s	0.6254	0.599	0.643	10
1820s	0.6729	0.636	0.72	10
1830s	0.72	0.72	0.72	10
1840s	0.78	0.78	0.78	10
1850s	0.8074	0.793	0.809	10
1860s	0.809	0.809	0.809	10
1870s	0.8237	0.809	0.83	10
1880s	0.83	0.83	0.83	10
1890s	0.83	0.83	0.83	10
1900s	0.8475	0.847	0.852	10
1910s	0.8176	0.786	0.847	10
1920s	0.851	0.851	0.851	10
1930s	0.8441	0.795	0.856	10
1940s	0.8395	0.795	0.907	10
1950s	0.907	0.907	0.907	10
1960s	0.9087	0.902	0.922	10
1970s	0.9119	0.902	0.913	10
1980s	0.891	0.891	0.891	10
1990s	0.9177	0.915	0.942	10
2000s	0.9609	0.953	0.964	10
2010s	0.9549	0.947	0.961	10
2020s	0.918	0.833	0.956	6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

51 South Africa 0.837 compare
52 Liberia 0.836 compare
54 Malta 0.829 compare
55 Sierra Leone 0.823 compare
56 Israel 0.822 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for United Kingdom

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in United Kingdom?: Freedom of expression index in United Kingdom was 0.833 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in United Kingdom?: The highest recorded value was 0.964 in 2006.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in United Kingdom?: The lowest recorded value was 0.599 in 1816.
How does United Kingdom rank for freedom of expression index?: United Kingdom ranks 53rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in United Kingdom?: Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.