The U.K. government has again altered aid expenditure for the 2025-2026 financial year, according to comments made during a parliamentary committee hearing Tuesday.
U.K. Chancellor Rachel Reeves had announced in the Spring Statement in March that aid cuts would start immediately with a reduction of £500 million from the original budget in 2025-26.
But speaking at the International Development Committee hearing Tuesday, Member of Parliament Sarah Champion, who chairs the committee, said that estimates of government spending on international development received by the committee differed significantly from expectations. Jenny Chapman, the U.K. development minister, said this was done to create fiscal breathing room, given the reductions planned in the coming years. The estimates, which have been made public, indicate £480 million originally earmarked for "core multilateral programs" has been reallocated to FCDO's development finance institution, British International Investment.
About the author
Susannah Birkwood
Susannah Birkwood is a U.K.-based freelance journalist and media and communications consultant who has worked for international organizations including WWF and Plan International.
