UK and US Fall to Record Lows in Corruption Perception Index

The UK and US have received their lowest scores ever in the annual Corruption Perceptions Index, with its authors citing concerns about wealthy political donors and increasing state repression of activists and journalists.

The UK dropped to 20th place in the 2025 index, which was published on Tuesday, down from a high of 8th place in 2017. The index began in 1995 but its methodology changed in 2012, when the UK came 17th.  

The US fell to 29th place in 2025, having come 19th in 2012.

This year’s rankings covered 182 countries, among which Denmark was seen as the least corrupt and South Sudan as the most. The index is based on the perceptions of experts and businesses, rather than on objective indicators.

Transparency International has faced accusations of pro-corporate and pro-western bias in the past. Its former US chapter, TI-USA, was criticised for taking donations from giant firms like Lockheed Martin, Deloitte, Raytheon and General Electric. On several occasions, it gave its corporate leadership award to major donors, including PepsiCo.

In 2020, Transparency International created a new US chapter following a 2017 decision by the international board of directors to strip the US affiliate of its accreditation.

​Daniel Bruce, chief executive of Transparency International UK, said the UK’s decline in the ranking this year reflected a broader trend. “This persistent decline is not a temporary blip – it risks becoming a defining feature of our political culture,” he said.

​“The UK government must demonstrate that it is serious about restoring integrity. That means taking bold action to remove big money from politics, delivering genuinely open government, and ending the cronyism that undermines public trust in our institutions.”