Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Western Europe

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Western Europe in 2024 — 11.34%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 5.01 pp.

2024 11.34% −3.77 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 16.35%2000
Period minimum 11.34%2024

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Western Europe, 2000–202410121416182000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 16.35%2001: 16.05%2002: 16.03%2003: 15.95%2004: 16.01%2005: 15.81%2006: 15.96%2007: 15.52%2008: 15.53%2009: 15.55%2010: 15.54%2011: 15.51%2012: 15.61%2013: 15.97%2014: 16.1%2015: 15.9%2016: 15.8%2017: 16.06%2018: 15.95%2019: 15.69%2020: 14.21%2021: 14.64%2022: 14.91%2023: 15.11%2024: 11.34%
Change over the period: −5.01 pp Annual average: -0.21 pp
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 11.34 −3.77 pp
2023 15.11 +0.2 pp
2022 14.91 +0.28 pp
2021 14.64 +0.43 pp
2020 14.21 −1.49 pp
2019 15.69 −0.26 pp
2018 15.95 −0.1 pp
2017 16.06 +0.26 pp
2016 15.8 −0.1 pp
2015 15.9 −0.2 pp
2014 16.1 +0.13 pp
2013 15.97 +0.36 pp
2012 15.61 +0.11 pp
2011 15.51 −0.03 pp
2010 15.54 −0.01 pp
2009 15.55 +0.02 pp
2008 15.53 +0.01 pp
2007 15.52 −0.44 pp
2006 15.96 +0.15 pp
2005 15.81 −0.2 pp
2004 16.01 +0.06 pp
2003 15.95 −0.08 pp
2002 16.03 −0.02 pp
2001 16.05 −0.29 pp
2000 16.35

About the indicator

Payments people make for medical care directly at the point of use — as a percent of all current health expenditure in the country. Insurance contributions and taxes are excluded: only what a person takes out of their pocket at the counter. The indicator is considered a key measure of financial protection: the higher it is, the more often illness means ruin, and WHO tracks it as an indicator of the risk of catastrophic household spending.

Important: A high value means weak protection, not an active private sector: voluntary insurance is not part of this indicator, so a country with developed private insurance can have a low share of out-of-pocket payments.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.