United Kingdom and Switzerland
The United Kingdom and Switzerland combine financial services, professional activity and mobility. The trade agreement announced in 2026 seeks to expand those exchanges.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
The announcement of 13 July 2026 describes a trade agreement with new provisions on services, professionals and business procedures.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The use of electronic gates and the intention to remove roaming surcharges are different measures and are not presented as fully applied from the announcement.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The use of electronic gates and the intention to remove roaming surcharges are different measures and are not presented as fully applied from the announcement.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | ||
| Goods: United Kingdom to Switzerland | ||
| Goods: Switzerland to United Kingdom | ||
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: United Kingdom to Switzerland | ||
| Export share: Switzerland to United Kingdom | ||
| Investment stock: United Kingdom in Switzerland | ||
| Investment stock: Switzerland in United Kingdom |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | United Kingdom | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 4 trillion USD2025 · World Bank | 1.04 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 57,601.96 USD2025 · World Bank | 114,769.01 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.39 %2025 · World Bank | 1.3 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 3.88 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | 0.15 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.1 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · ONS | |
| Unemployment | 4.75 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 4.87 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 0.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 102.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 39.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -2.43 %2025 · World Bank | 6.98 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 69,487,0002025 · World Bank | 9,092,436World Bank est.2025 · WB |
| Area | 243,610 km²2023 · World Bank | 41,291 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)United Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United Kingdom: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited Kingdom: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change relative to the same month of the previous year · ONS · Headline CPI, not CPIH or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited Kingdom: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)United Kingdom: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Switzerland: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)United Kingdom: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Switzerland: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · WB est. · The World Bank indicates a population extrapolation; this is not a 2025 census count.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited Kingdom: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
United Kingdom to Switzerland
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Switzerland to United Kingdom
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Connections between people
Contacts between people and relations between governments are distinct dimensions. Published counts appear in the table with their date and definition; a resident community is not inferred from trade or diplomatic representation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from United Kingdom living in Switzerland | ||
| Residents from Switzerland living in United Kingdom | ||
| Study and training: United Kingdom in Switzerland | ||
| Study and training: Switzerland in United Kingdom | ||
| Academic stays: United Kingdom in Switzerland | ||
| Academic stays: Switzerland in United Kingdom | ||
| Travel: United Kingdom to Switzerland | ||
| Travel: Switzerland to United Kingdom |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and institutional framework
The announcement of 13 July 2026 describes a trade agreement with new provisions on services, professionals and business procedures. The estimated increase of 5,200 million pounds in annual exports over the long term is a projection, not trade already conducted. [1]
The scale of both economies
The United Kingdom's nominal GDP is 4,002.6 billion USD (2025), compared with 1,043.5 for Switzerland (2025). The reference populations are 69.49 and 9.09 million, respectively. In the same year, the United Kingdom's economy was 3.84 times Switzerland's in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The use of electronic gates and the intention to remove roaming surcharges are different measures and are not presented as fully applied from the announcement. The combined customs series for Switzerland and Liechtenstein is not used as if it were exclusively Swiss. [1]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — GBR-CHE
Government of the United Kingdom · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07