UK Foreign Aid Spending Hits Lowest Level Since 2008
Provisional data reveals that UK government spending on foreign aid has dropped to its lowest level in nearly two decades, with Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocated at just 0.43% of national income in 2025. This represents a £1 billion decrease from the previous year and matches the low levels seen in 2008. The reduction is part of a broader strategy to shift funds toward defense, with plans to lower ODA further to 0.3% by 2027. Humanitarian experts warn these cuts are already forcing life-saving programs in Syria and Africa to close, potentially costing lives and increasing global instability. While the government maintains a commitment to restore aid to 0.7% when fiscal conditions allow, critics argue this retreat undermines the UK's global reputation and disproportionately affects the world's poorest nations.
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UK Foreign Aid Spending Hits Lowest Level Since 2008
Provisional data reveals that UK government spending on foreign aid has dropped to its lowest level in nearly two decades, with Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocated at just 0.43% of national income in 2025. This represents a £1 billion decrease from the previous year and matches the low levels seen in 2008. The reduction is part of a broader strategy to shift funds toward defense, with plans to lower ODA further to 0.3% by 2027. Humanitarian experts warn these cuts are already forcing life-saving programs in Syria and Africa to close, potentially costing lives and increasing global instability. While the government maintains a commitment to restore aid to 0.7% when fiscal conditions allow, critics argue this retreat undermines the UK's global reputation and disproportionately affects the world's poorest nations.
The Guardian