Charities express 'alarm' over potential cuts to international aid budget

The sector has seen large cuts to budgets since Rishi Sunak announced in November 2020 that the UK would reduce its commitment to projects to fight poverty and illness around the world from 0.7 per cent of GDP to 0.5 per cent.

This measure, which was brought in temporarily to help balance the books during the pandemic, was one of several manifesto commitments which were broken under Boris Johnson’s government, but it was expected that this would be reversed in 2024.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor, reportedly feels that he can make £5bn a year savings by keeping aid spending at current proportions rather than following through with the rise promised by Mr Sunak.

Last night the Government confirmed that it would only reinstate the 0.7 per cent level “when the fiscal situation allows” and would review plans each year to see if it was economically viable to do so.

The planned reinstatement of the 0.7 per cent spending commitment was meant to coincide with the UK’s underlying debt falling, an objective that Britain is not set to meet for several years, potentially as late as 2027.

Abigael Baldoumas, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Bond, the UK network for INGOs said that cuts had already had an impact.

“Only a few days ago a former Conservative chief whip said, th e government’s books could not be balanced “on the back of the poorest people in our country,” she said.

“This sentiment is true whether these people are a family queuing at a foodbank in East Yorkshire, or a family trying to escape famine in Somalia.

“This is why reports that further cuts to the UK aid budget could be around the corner are alarming.”