Policy Updates

On August 9, 2025, the UK announced an additional GBP8.5 million (US$11 million) in humanitarian funding for Gaza, urging Israel to allow more assistance into the territory and reverse its plan to expand military operations.

The funding will be delivered through the OCHA's OPT Humanitarian Fund to provide food, water, and fuel. The pledge is part of the UK's total GBP101 million (US$135 million) ODA budget for the OPT for the financial year, of which GBP60 million (US$80 million) is allocated to humanitarian support. The UK is the largest donor to the fund in 2025.

Minister for International Development Jenny Chapman stated that the humanitarian catastrophe is ongoing and called for a return to a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. Chapman noted that the new funding can only be effective if Israel allows more assistance to enter safely and securely.

On July 27, 2025, the foreign and defense ministers of Australia and the UK issued a joint statement in Darwin, Australia, reaffirming their shared commitment to the WPS agenda.

The statement, released ahead of the 25^th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, noted that the promise of the WPS agenda remains unfulfilled. The ministers expressed concern that women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by conflict and that their exclusion from peace processes prevents lasting security. The nations also highlighted their concern about the use of conflict-related sexual violence as a tactic of war.

Both nations committed to the full implementation of the agenda, including to:

• Promote women’s leadership in all areas of peace and security;
• Support women-led organizations and human rights defenders in conflict settings;
• Strengthen accountability mechanisms to address sexual and gender-based violence; and
• Collaborate internationally to advocate for the WPS agenda.

On July 22, 2025, the UK government announced its 2025-2026 ODA spending figures, confirming a pledge of GBP2 billion (US$2.3 billion) to the World Bank’s IDA and outlining a strategic shift to prioritize impactful multilateral organizations.

The new approach, which follows a comprehensive review by UK Development Minister Baroness Jenny Chapman, will see the FCDO prioritize funding through organizations like the World Bank and Gavi,while pushing for their reform to increase efficiency. The government will use an accelerated payment schedule for its IDA contribution, which reduces costs for UK taxpayers while providing the same value to the Bank.

World Bank President Ajay Banga welcomed the commitment, noting the IDA fund is expected to benefit 1.9 billion people over the next three years. The UK government plans to publish indicative multi-year allocations for 2026-2029 in autumn 2025. However, this shift to multilateral spending is coming at a significant cost for bilateral programs.

On July 22, 2025, the UK's FCDO released a self-assessment which revealed that 2025-2026 health spending will be cut by nearly 46% to GBP527 million (US716 million), with significant impacts on women's health programs.

The reduction is part of a larger plan to decrease the UK's ODA budget from 0.5% of its GNI to just 0.3%. The assessment indicated spending reductions in Africa for women’s health, health systems, and emergency response.

CSOs expressed concern over the lack of detail on specific program cuts, including those for SRHR. An analysis by the Guttmacher Institute showed a 30% cut in family planning assistance could cause 1.1 million more unintended pregnancies. Further cuts are expected, potentially decreasing the aid budget by over GBP3 billion (US$4.1 billion) by 2028.

On July 22, 2025, the UK's FCDO published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2024 to 2025, which CSO Bond warns of a concerning outlook for communities most in need of assistance.

The document, which contains forward-looking budgets for the current financial year (2025-26) and reported figures for UK ODA spending for 2024-25, outlines the first reductions in a phased plan to lower the ODA budget to 0.3% of GNI by 2027. According to Bond's analysis, the FCDO’s programme ODA budget is set to fall from GBP9.3 billion (US$12.6 billion) in 2024/25 to GBP8.7 billion (US$11.8 billion) in 2025/26. It will decrease further to GBP6.8 billion (US$9.2 billion) in 2026/27 and GBP6.2 billion (US$8.4 billion) in 2027/28, a total decrease of over GBP3 billion (US$4.1 billion).

Bond's analysis highlights that the cuts will disproportionately affect the poorest countries. Bilateral assistance to Africa is being cut by 12% (GBP184 million or US$250 million) in the current financial year. Funding is also being reduced for several countries facing major humanitarian crises, including Ethiopia (25% reduction), South Sudan (23%), and Somalia (27%). Budgets for Sudan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, both stated government priorities, are also seeing cuts of 18% and 21%, respectively. The FCDO has pointed to a GBP85 million (US$115 million) crisis reserve, but Bond questions why previous spending levels were not maintained given the scale of the crises.

Thematic funding is also facing significant reductions. Funding for health ill be cut by 46% (GBP448 million or US$603 million), and the budget for Education, Gender & Equality will be reduced by 42% (GBP206 million or US$278 million). Bond's equality impact assessment found that 11 of the 13 programs proposed for closure were focused on gender equality or disability inclusion, and that the cuts will likely have negative impact on children.

On July 13, 2025, campaigners and ODA experts urged the Labour government to fulfil its pledge to restore the UK’s global leadership in international development in a Guardian editorial, which emphasized the urgency of reversing cuts and addressing worsening global inequalities.

The editorial notes that, in the first half of 2025, key donors, including the UK, have continued to reduce ODA budgets, while many LICs now spend more on debt repayment than on healthcare or education. Campaigners argue that Labour should prioritize debt relief, reform international tax systems, and support grassroots-led solutions.

Romilly Greenhill, CEO of Bond, stressed that the global economic system is broken and requires immediate reform. Diana Francis of Peace Direct underlined the growing interconnection between climate breakdown, conflict, and underfunded humanitarian responses, adding that solidarity and cooperation are more important than ever.

The editorial calls on Labour to act decisively - or risk falling short of its own promises.

On July 8, 2025, according to statements made in Parliament, the UK FCDO will reduce its staff by 15–25% by 2029, leading Bond to responding with warnings that the cuts risk undermining the UK’s global development role.

Bond’s Director of Policy and Advocacy Gideon Rabinowitzs noted that development staff are likely to bear the brunt of the reductions, exacerbating already strained capacity following previous ODA cuts and the merger of DFID and FCO. He warned that further reductions will diminish the department’s development expertise and harm the UK’s credibility as a global partner.

Bond emphasized that restoring the UK’s leadership in international development requires investment in staff and skills. The proposed cuts, it argued, move in the opposite direction and threaten the government’s ability to deliver effective ODA and uphold its international commitments.

On July 4, 2025, GCA convened a Funders Forum at its Rotterdam headquarters to assess progress and shape the future of the AAAP, which has mobilized over US$17 billion in climate adaptation investments across Africa, intending to reach US$25 billion by the end of 2025.

The forum brought together key partners including the BMGF, UK FCDO, GIZ, NORAD, and MDBs.

The AAAP attendees reviewed an evaluation by BCG, which measured progress across key priority areas such as food security, water and nature, resilient infrastructure, and youth engagement. Participants also discussed initiatives on health, education, and urban resilience, including upcoming “People’s Adaptation Plans” in 11 African and 10 Bangladeshi cities. Over 70% of AAAP projects now incorporate gender-responsive and inclusive strategies.

On July 2, 2025, the UK government faced criticism at the FfD4 in Seville for its reduced commitment to ODA.

The UK government has reduced its ODA target from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI, amounting to a cut of approximately GBP6.2 billion (US$8.4 billion). Critics noted that only one UK representative, Baroness Jenny Chapman, attended the summit, prompting accusations of hypocrisy given the UK ’s calls for fairer financial systems.

Development organizations condemned the cuts, warning they would impact essential services such as healthcare, education, and climate response in LICs. Many argued that private sector finance cannot replace the public funding necessary to address long-term development challenges.

Despite the UK’s endorsement of a new global tax and debt cooperation agreement at the summit, campaigners said its actions risk eroding trust in multilateral development efforts.

On June 12, 2025, BOND released an analysis of UK Chancellor Rachel Reeve's June 11 Spending Review, which revealed only minimal reductions in the use of UK ODA for IDRCs despite pledges to refocus UK ODA.

The reductions mean nearly a fifth of the UK’s annual development budget will continue to be spent on IDRCs until the end of the standing parliament. The total for IDRCs over three years was calculated at GBP5.8 billion (US$7.8 billion). The Spending Review did not detail in-donor refugee cost allocations by department, but BOND’s analysis showed a slow reduction in these costs rather than a significant shift. FCDO allocations for IDRCs were calculated at:

• FY2026/27: GBP2.3 billion (US$3.1 billion, 22.9% of ODA);
• FY2027/28: GBP1.9 billion (US$2.5 billion, 21% of ODA); and
• FY2028/29: GBP1.6 billion (US$2.2 billion, 17% of ODA).

BOND warned that this approach severely limits funding for global programs addressing poverty, conflict, and displacement. The continued diversion of ODA to cover domestic asylum costs, despite a commitment to end hotel use for asylum seekers, could signal a lack of urgency and undermines the UK’s credibility as a global development partner.