Committees

Future of UK aid and development assistance

Inquiry

A new inquiry into the future of the UK’s international aid and development assistance programmes has been launched by the International Development Committee.

It will examine how the UK can continue to deliver high impact international aid and development assistance in the face of a 40% budget cut as the Government seeks to fund increased defence spending in the name of national security.

Based on the most recent forecast for GNI, the cut in ODA from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI would mean that the aid budget in 2027 would be around £9.2 billion, compared to £15.4 billion if ODA was kept at 0.5%. Based on these estimates, the 0.3% target would provide about £6.1 billion less ODA than the 0.5% target.

The US has historically been by far the world’s largest aid donor in absolute terms, providing around 20% of all aid by OECD DAC Members each year. In February, the State Department said that USAID programmes to the value of $54 billion will be ended and $4.4 billion of programmes from the US State Department. In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that 82% of all USAID programmes would be ended (around 5,200 of the 6,200 programmes). Germany and France have also announced a cut to their ODA.

The reduction to 0.3% of GNI allocated to development assistance, to fund an increase in defence and security spending, and drastic reduction of aid provided by the UK’s partners, mark an inflection point for the Government – one the Committee wishes to investigate and to add its voice.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 9:00pm on 14 November 2025.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Tuesday 24 March 2026
2:30pm Public
Future of UK aid and development assistance - Oral evidence 24 March 2026
2:30pm
  • Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP (Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
  • The Rt Hon. the Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Minister of State for International Development and Africa at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
  • Nick Dyer (Second Permanent Under-Secretary at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
  • Melinda Bohannon (Director General, Global Issues at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
The Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House
Tuesday 27 January 2026
2:00pm Public
Future of UK aid and development assistance - Oral evidence 27 January 2026
2:00pm
  • Sapphire Alexander (Founder at Caribbean Feminist (Trinidad and Tobago))
  • Chido Govera (Founder at Future of Hope Foundation (Zimbabwe))
  • Finian Ali (Youth Coordinator at Scaling Up Nutrition Network (Nigeria))
3:00pm
  • Bel Trew (Chief International Correspondent at The Independent)
  • Luke Tryl (Executive Director, UK at More in Common)
  • Jennifer Hudson (Director at Development Engagement Lab)
Science Gallery London, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 9GU
Tuesday 20 January 2026
2:00pm Public
Future of UK aid and development assistance - Oral evidence 20 January 2026
2:00pm
  • The Rt Hon. the Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Minister of State for International Development and Africa at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
  • Melinda Bohannon (Director General, Humanitarian and Development at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Tuesday 25 November 2025
2:00pm Public
Future of UK aid and development assistance - Oral evidence 25 November 2025
2:00pm
  • Martin John (National Officer at Public and Commercial Services (PCS) trade union)
  • Lois Austin (FCDO Group Secretary at Public and Commercial Services (PCS) trade union)
2:45pm
  • Professor Emma Mawdsley (Professor of Geography and Development Studies at University of Cambridge)
  • Gideon Rabinowitz (Director of Policy and Advocacy at Bond)
  • Freddie Carver (Director, Humanitarian Policy Group at ODI Global)
  • Ms Anna Schuesterl (Director of Communications at ODI Global)
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.

  • Email: indcom@parliament.uk
  • Address: International Development Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA