UK remains at record low in Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the second consecutive year

The UK has maintained its lowest ever score in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). 

Results published today show the UK's score remains at 71 for the second year running, keeping the UK at its lowest point since the Index underwent a major revamp in 2012. The UK now sits at 20th in the global ranking, a sharp drop from its position just outside the top ten in 2021.

This year’s score of 71 despite more recent positive developments in the UK from the new government including commitments from the Prime Minister to restoring integrity in politics. However, the result shows there can be no grounds for complacency in seeking to address integrity issues in the UK.

The CPI uses impartial surveys from experts and business leaders to score and rank countries by the perceived level of corruption in their public sectors. The result is presented on a scale of zero (perceived as highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived as very clean).

The UK’s 2024 CPI score indicates a major challenge facing the country’s reputation for good governance. The data shows that there are no grounds for complacency that perceptions of corruption in politics and the public sector will inevitably bounce back in the future. Indeed, some business executives and experts assessing an increased prevalence of bribery this year.   

Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive, Transparency International UK said: 

"Corruption has evolved into one of the greatest underlying threats to global stability - systematically undermining democracy, fuelling conflict, and enabling human rights violations worldwide. The latest Corruption Perceptions Index reveals an alarming reality. In a world growing more dangerous and volatile by the day, efforts to tackle corruption have stagnated with even established democracies like the UK stuck at record lows in the index. 

“Unless we act decisively to strengthen anti-corruption frameworks globally, we risk seeing further democratic backsliding and weakening of the international response to the critical challenges we face.

“The UK government ought to play a pivotal and much-needed role by taking the corrupting influence of big money out of politics, delivering on commitments to protect the integrity of government and accelerating efforts to tackle corruption globally.”

The UK’s latest score is based on data from eight independent sources, including the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Economic Forum. All surveyed experts and business executives for their views on abuses of public office for private gain and bribery in the UK.  

New data for this year’s CPI were collected between January 2022 and September 2024, during which time: 

• Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister following an investigation into whether he had misled Parliament
• the UK Government’s post of Anti-Corruption Champion was left vacant for two and a half years
• parties faced an uphill task to raise funds for the 2024 general election, which included the Conservatives accepting £15 million from a single donor in less than 12 months
• media outlets reported that a major Labour donor had received a privileged pass to Number 10 Downing Street

The data shows that while there are improvements in scores related to corruption in government and public office, significant concerns about bribery and abuse of public office remain.

The UK can end its stagnating reputation and regain its place in the CPI’s top 10, Transparency International UK call on the government to: 

1. Protecting democracy by removing the corrosive influence of big money in politics: reduce campaign spending limits; place a £10,000 cap on donations; increase transparency over the source of funds entering politics; and strengthen the Electoral Commission.
    
2. Raising standards in government: better police the revolving door between public and private office, and drive transparency over lobbying and government decisions. This could be delivered through the promised Ethics and Integrity Commission.
    
3. End cronyism and corruption in the House of Lords: put the House of Lord’s Appointment Commission on a statutory footing and give it the power to vet all nominations for suitability and propriety and veto any nomination they deem unsuitable or improper.

Corruption around the World 

Globally, the CPI average score remains unchanged at 43 for the twelfth year in a row. Almost 6.8 billion people live in countries with CPI scores under 50. This is equivalent to 85% of the world population of 8 billion.  

Denmark (90) tops the index for the seventh year in a row and is closely followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).

Over a quarter of the countries in the sample (47) got their lowest score yet on the index, including Austria (67), Bangladesh (23), France (67), Germany (75), Switzerland (81), and the United States (65).   

Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive, Transparency International UK added: 

"The now sustained slump in the UK’s score in the corruption perceptions index demands firm action. There is no room for complacency given the challenges to institutions of government now arising globally. The UK's sharp drop from 11th to 20th place in just three years suggests our democratic institutions aren't as resilient as we once thought.

“This isn't a temporary dip that will simply correct itself - it's a persistent decline that risks becoming a lingering feature of our political culture. While a change in political leadership has brought some positive steps, the problems exposed by recent scandals - from PPE procurement to questions over political funding - demonstrate why more fundamental reform is needed.” 

Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) aggregates up to 13 surveys measuring business executives’ and country experts’ perceptions of public sector corruption into one single score.

It is not a measure of actual levels of corruption, corruption in the private sector, or how a country facilitates corruption overseas. 

The CPI aggregates up to 13 surveys measuring business executives’ and country experts’ perceptions of public sector corruption into a single country score. 

The UK’s 2024 CPI score is based on data from eight sources. These surveys collected experts’ and business executives’ views on abuses of public office for private gain and bribery in the UK. 

Four of the CPI 2024 sources saw an increase in the UK’s score compared to previous years, while four decreased. 

For each country’s individual score and changes over time, as well as analysis for each region, see the 2024 CPI page.