The latest consumer spending figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal UK households spent a record £32.3 billion on health products and services in 2023, up £2.5 billion (8.3%) over 2022’s £29.8 billion.
Last year, patients spent £8.6 billion on pharmaceutical products such as medicines, vaccines and vitamins, up from 2022’s £7.9 billion. Brits also spent £4.2 billion on consultations with doctors and specialists and £4 billion on dentists and hygienists. One of the most significant household expenditures was £10 billion on in-patient hospital services, including medical care, meals, and accommodation. This was another new record, up from just over £9 billion in 2022.