£20,000 in 1768 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £4,230,257.53 today, an increase of £4,210,257.53 over 256 years. The pound had an average inflation rate of 2.11% per year between 1768 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 21,051.29%.
This means that today's prices are 211.51 times as high as average prices since 1768, according to the Office for National Statistics composite price index. A pound today only buys 0.473% of what it could buy back then.
The inflation rate in 1768 was -1.47%. The current inflation rate compared to the end of last year is now 3.90%. If this number holds, £20,000 today will be equivalent in buying power to £20,780.00 next year.
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for £20,000 in 1768 (price index tracking began in 1750).
For example, if you started with £20,000, you would need to end with £4,230,257.53 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When £20,000 is equivalent to £4,230,257.53 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single U.K. pound decreases over time. In other words, a pound will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a pound over time. By calculating the value in 1768 dollars, the chart below shows how £20,000 is worth less over 256 years.
According to the Office for National Statistics, each of these GBP amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Pound inflation: 1768-2024
Year
Pound Value
Inflation Rate
1768
£20,000.00
-1.47%
1769
£18,507.46
-7.46%
1770
£18,507.46
0.00%
1771
£20,000.00
8.06%
1772
£22,089.55
10.45%
1773
£22,089.55
0.00%
1774
£22,388.06
1.35%
1775
£20,895.52
-6.67%
1776
£20,597.01
-1.43%
1777
£20,597.01
0.00%
1778
£21,194.03
2.90%
1779
£19,402.99
-8.45%
1780
£18,805.97
-3.08%
1781
£19,701.49
4.76%
1782
£20,000.00
1.52%
1783
£22,388.06
11.94%
1784
£22,686.57
1.33%
1785
£21,492.54
-5.26%
1786
£21,492.54
0.00%
1787
£21,492.54
0.00%
1788
£22,388.06
4.17%
1789
£22,089.55
-1.33%
1790
£22,388.06
1.35%
1791
£22,388.06
0.00%
1792
£22,686.57
1.33%
1793
£23,283.58
2.63%
1794
£25,373.13
8.97%
1795
£28,059.70
10.59%
1796
£29,850.75
6.38%
1797
£26,865.67
-10.00%
1798
£26,268.66
-2.22%
1799
£29,552.24
12.50%
1800
£40,298.51
36.36%
1801
£45,074.63
11.85%
1802
£34,626.87
-23.18%
1803
£32,835.82
-5.17%
1804
£33,731.34
2.73%
1805
£39,104.48
15.93%
1806
£37,611.94
-3.82%
1807
£36,716.42
-2.38%
1808
£38,208.96
4.07%
1809
£41,791.04
9.37%
1810
£42,985.07
2.86%
1811
£41,791.04
-2.78%
1812
£47,462.69
13.57%
1813
£48,656.72
2.52%
1814
£42,388.06
-12.88%
1815
£37,910.45
-10.56%
1816
£34,626.87
-8.66%
1817
£39,402.99
13.79%
1818
£39,402.99
0.00%
1819
£38,507.46
-2.27%
1820
£34,925.37
-9.30%
1821
£30,746.27
-11.97%
1822
£26,567.16
-13.59%
1823
£28,358.21
6.74%
1824
£30,746.27
8.42%
1825
£36,119.40
17.48%
1826
£34,029.85
-5.79%
1827
£31,940.30
-6.14%
1828
£31,044.78
-2.80%
1829
£30,746.27
-0.96%
1830
£29,552.24
-3.88%
1831
£32,537.31
10.10%
1832
£30,149.25
-7.34%
1833
£28,358.21
-5.94%
1834
£25,970.15
-8.42%
1835
£26,567.16
2.30%
1836
£29,552.24
11.24%
1837
£30,149.25
2.02%
1838
£30,447.76
0.99%
1839
£32,537.31
6.86%
1840
£33,134.33
1.83%
1841
£32,537.31
-1.80%
1842
£29,850.75
-8.26%
1843
£26,567.16
-11.00%
1844
£26,567.16
0.00%
1845
£27,761.19
4.49%
1846
£28,955.22
4.30%
1847
£32,537.31
12.37%
1848
£28,358.21
-12.84%
1849
£26,567.16
-6.32%
1850
£25,074.63
-5.62%
1851
£24,179.10
-3.57%
1852
£24,179.10
0.00%
1853
£26,567.16
9.88%
1854
£30,447.76
14.61%
1855
£31,343.28
2.94%
1856
£31,343.28
0.00%
1857
£29,850.75
-4.76%
1858
£27,164.18
-9.00%
1859
£26,865.67
-1.10%
1860
£27,761.19
3.33%
1861
£28,358.21
2.15%
1862
£27,761.19
-2.11%
1863
£26,865.67
-3.23%
1864
£26,567.16
-1.11%
1865
£26,865.67
1.12%
1866
£28,358.21
5.56%
1867
£30,149.25
6.32%
1868
£29,850.75
-0.99%
1869
£28,358.21
-5.00%
1870
£28,358.21
0.00%
1871
£28,656.72
1.05%
1872
£29,850.75
4.17%
1873
£31,044.78
4.00%
1874
£29,850.75
-3.85%
1875
£29,253.73
-2.00%
1876
£29,253.73
0.00%
1877
£28,955.22
-1.02%
1878
£28,358.21
-2.06%
1879
£27,164.18
-4.21%
1880
£28,059.70
3.30%
1881
£27,761.19
-1.06%
1882
£28,059.70
1.08%
1883
£27,761.19
-1.06%
1884
£27,164.18
-2.15%
1885
£26,268.66
-3.30%
1886
£25,970.15
-1.14%
1887
£25,671.64
-1.15%
1888
£25,970.15
1.16%
1889
£26,268.66
1.15%
1890
£26,268.66
0.00%
1891
£26,567.16
1.14%
1892
£26,567.16
0.00%
1893
£26,268.66
-1.12%
1894
£25,970.15
-1.14%
1895
£25,671.64
-1.15%
1896
£25,373.13
-1.16%
1897
£25,970.15
2.35%
1898
£25,970.15
0.00%
1899
£26,268.66
1.15%
1900
£27,462.69
4.55%
1901
£27,462.69
0.00%
1902
£27,462.69
0.00%
1903
£27,761.19
1.09%
1904
£27,761.19
0.00%
1905
£27,761.19
0.00%
1906
£27,761.19
0.00%
1907
£28,059.70
1.08%
1908
£28,059.70
0.00%
1909
£28,358.21
1.06%
1910
£28,656.72
1.05%
1911
£28,656.72
0.00%
1912
£29,552.24
3.13%
1913
£29,253.73
-1.01%
1914
£29,253.73
0.00%
1915
£32,835.82
12.24%
1916
£38,805.97
18.18%
1917
£48,656.72
25.38%
1918
£59,402.99
22.09%
1919
£65,373.13
10.05%
1920
£75,522.39
15.53%
1921
£68,955.22
-8.70%
1922
£59,402.99
-13.85%
1923
£55,820.90
-6.03%
1924
£55,522.39
-0.53%
1925
£55,522.39
0.00%
1926
£55,223.88
-0.54%
1927
£53,731.34
-2.70%
1928
£53,731.34
0.00%
1929
£53,134.33
-1.11%
1930
£51,641.79
-2.81%
1931
£49,552.24
-4.05%
1932
£48,358.21
-2.41%
1933
£47,164.18
-2.47%
1934
£47,164.18
0.00%
1935
£47,462.69
0.63%
1936
£47,761.19
0.63%
1937
£49,552.24
3.75%
1938
£50,149.25
1.20%
1939
£51,641.79
2.98%
1940
£60,298.51
16.76%
1941
£66,865.67
10.89%
1942
£71,641.79
7.14%
1943
£74,029.85
3.33%
1944
£76,119.40
2.82%
1945
£78,208.96
2.75%
1946
£80,597.01
3.05%
1947
£86,268.66
7.04%
1948
£92,835.82
7.61%
1949
£95,522.39
2.89%
1950
£98,507.46
3.13%
1951
£107,462.69
9.09%
1952
£117,313.43
9.17%
1953
£120,895.52
3.05%
1954
£123,283.58
1.98%
1955
£128,656.72
4.36%
1956
£135,223.88
5.10%
1957
£140,000.00
3.53%
1958
£144,477.61
3.20%
1959
£145,074.63
0.41%
1960
£146,567.16
1.03%
1961
£151,641.79
3.46%
1962
£158,208.96
4.33%
1963
£161,194.03
1.89%
1964
£166,567.16
3.33%
1965
£174,328.36
4.66%
1966
£181,194.03
3.94%
1967
£185,970.15
2.64%
1968
£194,626.87
4.65%
1969
£205,074.63
5.37%
1970
£218,208.96
6.40%
1971
£238,805.97
9.44%
1972
£255,820.90
7.13%
1973
£279,104.48
9.10%
1974
£323,880.60
16.04%
1975
£402,388.06
24.24%
1976
£468,955.22
16.54%
1977
£543,283.58
15.85%
1978
£588,358.21
8.30%
1979
£667,164.18
13.39%
1980
£787,164.18
17.99%
1981
£880,597.01
11.87%
1982
£956,417.91
8.61%
1983
£1,000,298.51
4.59%
1984
£1,050,149.25
4.98%
1985
£1,114,029.85
6.08%
1986
£1,151,940.30
3.40%
1987
£1,200,000.00
4.17%
1988
£1,258,805.97
4.90%
1989
£1,356,716.42
7.78%
1990
£1,485,074.63
9.46%
1991
£1,572,238.81
5.87%
1992
£1,631,044.78
3.74%
1993
£1,657,014.93
1.59%
1994
£1,697,014.93
2.41%
1995
£1,755,820.90
3.47%
1996
£1,798,208.96
2.41%
1997
£1,854,626.87
3.14%
1998
£1,918,208.96
3.43%
1999
£1,947,761.19
1.54%
2000
£2,005,373.13
2.96%
2001
£2,040,895.52
1.77%
2002
£2,074,925.37
1.67%
2003
£2,134,925.37
2.89%
2004
£2,198,507.46
2.98%
2005
£2,260,597.01
2.82%
2006
£2,332,835.82
3.20%
2007
£2,432,835.82
4.29%
2008
£2,529,850.75
3.99%
2009
£2,516,417.91
-0.53%
2010
£2,632,537.31
4.61%
2011
£2,769,552.24
5.20%
2012
£2,858,507.46
3.21%
2013
£2,945,373.13
3.04%
2014
£3,014,925.37
2.36%
2015
£3,044,776.12
0.99%
2016
£3,097,611.94
1.74%
2017
£3,208,656.72
3.58%
2018
£3,295,290.45
2.70%
2019
£3,377,672.71
2.50%
2020
£3,438,470.82
1.80%
2021
£3,524,146.05
2.49%
2022
£3,802,553.60
7.90%
2023
£4,071,470.19
7.07%
2024
£4,230,257.53
3.90%*
* Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value.
Click to show 250 more rows
This conversion table shows various other 1768 amounts in today's pounds, based on the 21,051.29% change in prices:
Conversion: 1768 pounds today
Initial value
Equivalent value
£1 pound in 1768
£211.51 pounds today
£5 pounds in 1768
£1,057.56 pounds today
£10 pounds in 1768
£2,115.13 pounds today
£50 pounds in 1768
£10,575.64 pounds today
£100 pounds in 1768
£21,151.29 pounds today
£500 pounds in 1768
£105,756.44 pounds today
£1,000 pounds in 1768
£211,512.88 pounds today
£5,000 pounds in 1768
£1,057,564.38 pounds today
£10,000 pounds in 1768
£2,115,128.76 pounds today
£50,000 pounds in 1768
£10,575,643.82 pounds today
£100,000 pounds in 1768
£21,151,287.63 pounds today
£500,000 pounds in 1768
£105,756,438.16 pounds today
£1,000,000 pounds in 1768
£211,512,876.31 pounds today
How to calculate inflation rate for £20,000 since 1768
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1768 and today:
CPI todayCPI in 1768
×
1768 GBP value
=
Today's value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.K. CPI was 6.7 in the year 1768 and 1417.136271298791 in 2024:
1417.1362712987916.7
×
£20,000
=
£4,230,257.53
£20,000 in 1768 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as £4,230,257.53 in 2024.
To get the total inflation rate for the 256 years between 1768 and 2024, we use the following formula:
CPI in 2024 - CPI in 1768CPI in 1768
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (256 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
1417.136271298791 - 6.76.7
×
100
=
21,051%
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the composite price index published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS). A composite index is created by combining price data from several different published sources, both official and unofficial. The Consumer Price Index, normally used to compute inflation, has only been tracked since 1988. All inflation calculations after 1988 use the Office for National Statistics' Consumer Price Index, except for the current year, which is based on The Bank of England's forecast.
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “£20,000 in 1768 → 2024 | UK Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 21 Nov. 2024, https://www.officialdata.org/uk/inflation/1768?amount=20000.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
About the author
Ian Webster is an engineer and data expert based in San Mateo, California. He has worked for Google, NASA, and consulted for governments around the world on data pipelines and data analysis. Disappointed by the lack of clear resources on the impacts of inflation on economic indicators, Ian believes this website serves as a valuable public tool. Ian earned his degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.
