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What was £1 in the 1920s worth today?

£1 in 1920 had the buying power of about £62.79 today; by 1929 it was about £89.25. Prices fell about 30% between 1920 and 1929.

Work out any amount

Year by year, in 2025 prices

Year£11 shilling1 penny£100
1920£62.79£3.14£0.26£6,279
1921£68.77£3.44£0.29£6,877
1922£79.83£3.99£0.33£7,983
1923£84.95£4.25£0.35£8,495
1924£85.41£4.27£0.36£8,541
1925£85.41£4.27£0.36£8,541
1926£85.87£4.29£0.36£8,587
1927£88.26£4.41£0.37£8,826
1928£88.26£4.41£0.37£8,826
1929£89.25£4.46£0.37£8,925

Money in the 1920s

Prices hit a peak in 1920 and then fell steeply in the slump that followed. Britain returned to the gold standard in 1925, and the General Strike came in 1926.

Prices fell about 30% between 1920 and 1929. These figures compare the cost of everyday goods and services. Wages, house prices and the size of the economy all grew at different rates, so a 1920s salary or fortune would look bigger still if compared with what people earn or own today.

Source: Office for National Statistics composite price index (CDKO), Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are rounded.

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Common questions

How much was £1 in 1920 worth today?

About £62.79 in 2025 prices, based on the ONS composite price index.

How much was £1 in 1925 worth today?

About £85.41 in 2025 prices.

How much was a shilling in 1925 worth today?

About £4.27. A shilling was 1/20 of a pound, or 5p in decimal money.

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