Statistics on UK trade with the Commonwealth

This short note provides some key statistics on the UK’s trade with the Commonwealth – all data are from the Office for National Statistics. The attached Excel spreadsheet (see under supporting documents) allows for easy access and presentation of detailed 2020 data on trade between the UK and individual Commonwealth countries and trade trends between 2000 and 2020.

In 2020:

• UK exports to the Commonwealth were worth £56.3 billion; British imports from the Commonwealth were £48.2 billion.
• The UK had a trade surplus with the Commonwealth of £8.2 billion – a deficit in goods was offset by a surplus in services.
• The value of UK exports to the Commonwealth fell by 16% between 2019 and 2020, while the value of imports fell by 25%.
• The Commonwealth accounted for 8.7% of the UK’s total trade – around the same as the UK’s total trade with Germany. 
• UK trade with the Commonwealth was heavily focused on five countries – Australia, Canada, India, Singapore and South Africa; combined these countries accounted for 74% of UK exports to the Commonwealth and 74% of UK imports from the Commonwealth.