The opinions expressed here are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of UK Finance or its members.

This blog was co-written by Michael Pollitt, Simon Stiggear and Charlie Lewis-Orr, KPMG UK.

The latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI, the Index) suggests the UK’s dramatic decline in the world’s anti-bribery and corruption rankings may have come to an end. 

The UK’s results in context 

The CPI assesses 180 countries by their perceived levels of public-sector corruption. Using data from 12 independent institutions, such as the World Bank, think tanks and the World Economic Forum, it scores each country out of 100, with lower scores indicating higher levels of corruption. 

As covered by us previously, the UK fell by 5 points in the 2022 Index to 73/100, its worst ever score, before dropping a further 2 points in 2023. For 2024, its score remains unchanged at 71/100. 

According to the researchers behind the CPI, a further decline this year was averted partly as a result of improvements in scores related to “corruption in government”. Although this could easily be seen as a positive sign, it’s important to put this in the context of the shocking decline that the UK has suffered in the preceding two years. The UK’s score has remained static, but at a historic low.

What this could mean for our clients 

This pause in the decline of its CPI scores is also an opportunity for the UK to set a new direction of travel. The researchers behind this year’s CPI suggest three key ways in which the UK could do so, all of which have potential impacts on our clients in the private sector: 

A revised strategy at the national level 

This year’s CPI calls on the UK “to deliver on commitments to protect integrity”. 

One key area in which the UK has made this commitment is through the long-awaited update to its Anti-Corruption Strategy. Although an Anti-Corruption Champion and Commissioner have both been appointed recently, the UK’s Anti-Corruption Strategy remains up for renewal at the time of writing. 

If Whitehall policymakers heed the call from this year’s CPI, this strategy could be the last thing to fall into place, providing additional impetus for anti-corruption enforcement in the UK private sector. 

An additional focus on lobbying 

The Index also suggests that, to improve, the UK should “drive transparency over lobbying”. 

Although the UK’s lobbying laws have not changed significantly since 2014, the government has faced added pressure in this area recently, not least through news stories focused on receipt of gifts and entertainment at the ministerial level, which emerged towards the end of last year. 

If the government responds, we could see an increased focus on public-sector interactions, meaning our policies and procedures governing activities such as lobbying could soon be ripe for renewal.

A renewed focus on cross-border enforcement 

Finally, the CPI researchers ask the UK to begin “accelerating efforts to tackle corruption globally”.

The recent news from across the Atlantic suggests there has been a re-think on the issue of international anti-corruption enforcement. However, by contrast, Europe seems to be remaining steadfast in this area, through the increasing progress of its regional Anti-Corruption Directive. 

This last recommendation suggests that civil society will be asking the UK to follow the example of its European neighbours on this issue, meaning we could see an increasing number of enforcement cases being brought by the UK across the continent and beyond.

What happens next 

While we wait for the government to digest the results of this year’s CPI, the short-term message for the private sector is clear. These latest results represent an end, for now, to the UK’s descent in the corruption rankings and policymakers will be looking to establish an upward trend in the year to come. This could mean increased oversight in the form of the new UK Anti-Corruption Strategy; additional focus on lobbying risks specifically; and a position at the forefront of global enforcement.