The United Kingdom’s decision to reduce spending on health is risking an increase in disease burden and deaths, according to its own assessment.
The U.K. is slashing its spending as part of a long-term plan to cut its aid budget between now and 2027, significantly reducing its commitment to allocate 0.5% of its gross national income on aid to just 0.3%. Both of these targets are a downgrade from the U.K. government’s previous commitment of spending 0.7% of its GNI on aid.
The latest figures from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, or FCDO, which accounts for the majority of U.K. aid, revealed that health spending for 2025-2026 will go down by almost 46% to £527 million compared to £974.8 million for 2024-2025.