World Vision UK responds to ‘devastating and disappointing’ cuts to UK Aid budget
Press statement: Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Today, the Prime Minister has announced that the UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) will be reduced from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI by 2027.
World Vision UK is shocked and concerned by this short-sighted move. It urges the UK government to reverse this hugely disappointing decision immediately to stem the devastating effect it will have on children living in the world’s most difficult places.
Fola Komolafe MBE DL, CEO of World Vision UK, says:
“World Vision is one of the largest international children’s charity in the world. We're helping one in four of those being helped by humanitarian aid, so are well placed to know the devastation these cuts by the UK will cause for children and families living in some of the world’s toughest places - those battling with drought, floods, hunger, disease and malnutrition.
"Moreover, we must remember that international aid and defence are intrinsically linked. Cutting one to fund the other will have challenging consequences as it will make the world less stable.
“This move also completely undermines the UK Government’s recent commitment to international development (see King’s Speech 2024: Foreign affairs and international development*). This was something of which we should be proud, but just when a demonstration of global leadership is most needed this is a huge leap backwards.
“Difficult decisions on spending must be made but these should not be at the cost of children’s lives. It’s the most vulnerable, those living in areas that are fragile due to effects of conflict or climate-change factors, that will bear the brunt of these decisions.
“We call for a review and reversal of this short-sighted decision-making and ask that the UK be a leader on these important global issues, and not to shy away.”
ENDS
For more information or access to spokespeople, please contact:
Louise Amodio
louise.amodio@worldvision.org.uk / 07957 111780
Notes to Editor:
- In 2021, the UK cut ODA from 0.7% to 0.5%.
- The last time that UK ODA was under 0.3% was in 1999.
- Other G7 countries ODA as a percentage of GNI in 2023 (the most up-to-date data available) was: Germany 0.82%, France 0.48%, Japan 0.44%, Canada 0.38%, Italy 0.27%, US 0.24% (Source: BOND)
- * The Labour Manifesto announced in the King’s Speech 2024: Foreign affairs and international development stated that:
1.6 Modernising international development: The manifesto committed a Labour government to “rebuild Britain’s reputation on international development with a new approach based on genuine respect and partnership with the global south to support our common interests”. 6 It said that “regaining” the UK’s leadership on development was a “key part of our plan to reconnect with our allies and partners”. The party added that it would set a new mission statement for the UK’s 5 Labour Party, ‘Labour Party manifesto 2024’, 13 June 2024, p 124. 6 As above, pp 124–5. 5 development work to “create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet” and restore development spending at 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) “as soon as fiscal circumstances allow”.
At World Vision, our focus is on helping the world’s most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. For 75 years, we have worked together with communities – of all faiths and none – even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith. Thanks to our supporters globally, we work in almost 100 countries and have changed the lives of over 200 million children in the past five years alone.