Corruption in the United Kingdom is generally low compared to most nations, though problems persist.Transparency International's 2024Corruption Perceptions Index scored the United Kingdom at 71 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, the United Kingdom ranked 20th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector.[1] For comparison with regional scores, the best score among Western European andEuropean Union countries[Note 1] was 90, the average score was 64 and the worst score was 41.[2] For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), the average score was 43, and the worst score was 8 (ranked 180).[3]
The United Kingdom currently has numerous laws that punish civil servants forbribery and other forms of corruption, with theBribery Act 2010 currently the most relevant.[4] There has also been criticism from newspaper columnists.[5][6] This has largely been because of the UK's fall from the top 10 in the CPI.[7][8][9]
The Bribery Act 2010 is currently the most relevant law in the United Kingdom that punishes public and private bribery. The law does not make any distinction in sentencing between those who bribe (or are bribed) in the public or private sector.[4]
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