Cutting aid costs lives

In February 2025, the UK Government decided to cut aid spending down to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI) – a cut of around £5.5 billion. This is the steepest cut of any G7 country and a devastating blow to the communities Tearfund serves.

In uncertain times, the decision to cut aid will only increase instability.

Cutting the aid budget directly affects communities living in poverty around the world. Families are going hungry. Children are unable to go to school. Conflict continues to ruin lives.

How can we respond as Christians?

The Bible tells us that ‘the generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.’ (Proverbs 22:9) Sadly, the UK Government’s decision to cut aid ignores our call as Christians to demonstrate generosity and compassion for people in need.

The UK Government must hear from the church that this is unacceptable.

Raising this issue with your MP sends a clear message that you stand with communities living in poverty and will enable your MP to speak out publicly on this issue.

Will you let your MP know that you care about your global neighbours?

The impact for people in poverty

• There are already far fewer resources for our humanitarian responses to disasters and emergencies around the world.
• Years of progress and peacebuilding in areas of historic conflict are being reversed.
• Communities who are still rebuilding after natural disasters are now being made more vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis.

As Christians, we're called to come alongside people who are suffering and stand with them against injustice.

A holistic approach to development

In March 2026, the UK Government revealed that some of the world's poorest countries will lose out on life-saving aid, including a drastic 56 per cent cut to aid to Africa. The Government's own assessment of the cuts admits that they will leave children, people with disabilities and older people across African countries more vulnerable.

To prioritise the remaining aid budget, they announced that they would focus on fragile and conflict-affected states, preventing violence against women and girls, and international action on the climate crisis. This prioritisation is only necessary because of such drastic funding cuts.

Addressing these issues in isolation is wildly inadequate and undermines the holistic approach to development that has transformed more than 57,000 communities worldwide through Tearfund’s work.

UK aid strengthens global health and security, making the world a safer place. Cutting overseas aid for communities experiencing instability will only exacerbate global insecurity.

Instead, we must remain committed to our global neighbours and work with MPs on a roadmap to restore 0.7% of GNI spent on vital aid and development.