Statement – Tuesday 26 February 2025
A message from ShelterBox Chief Executive, Sanj Srikanthan.
“The decision by the UK government to drastically cut its overseas aid budget leaves a far more unpredictable world in its wake.
This aid, now less than 0.5% of government spending, is crucial, supporting people in some of the most remote, most vulnerable, and overlooked parts of the world searching for a foothold to recovery after disaster and conflict. It is often matched by the generosity of the British public in appeals.
It will be marginalised communities left worst off and potentially without lifesaving aid when they need it most and that is deeply troubling especially when the number of people displaced around the world has never been higher.”
On Monday 25 February 2025, the UK government announced a reduction in its aid spending target from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income (GNI) by 2027. It will bring the overseas aid budget (ODA – official development assistance) to the lowest it’s been in 25 years and make it much harder to reach the previous 0.7% target.
