U.K. aid spending on international programs will fall to its lowest level in 17 years without an urgent bailout by its new Labour government, aid groups are warning.
The budget will be just 0.36% of gross national income in 2024 once the huge sums diverted to hosting asylum-seekers are stripped out, according to a new analysis carried out by Bond, the network for U.K. aid organizations. That would be the smallest proportion since 2007, and make “significant new cuts” likely in the months to come.
Strikingly, the U.K. has shelved a planned £707 million ($934 million) payment to the International Development Association, even as the World Bank’s fund for low-income countries seeks a bigger replenishment in December.
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About the author
Rob Merrick
Rob Merrick is the U.K. Correspondent for Devex, covering FCDO and British aid. He reported on all the key events in British politics of the past 25 years from Westminster, including the financial crash, the Brexit fallout, the "Partygate" scandal, and the departures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Rob has worked for The Independent and the Press Association and is a regular commentator on TV and radio. He can be reached at rob.merrick@devex.com.
