UK aid cuts will undermine global health and pose a risk to children’s lives
We should be increasing our efforts to consolidate global health security, not scaling them back, writes Bob Kitchen The UK has long been a leader in humanitarian aid, demonstrating that smart investment can tackle global challenges—from conflict and climate vulnerability to public health. UK aid has had a crucial role in building resilience in fragile states, reducing displacement, and tackling the root causes of insecurity. However, the government’s recent decision to cut aid spending by £6bn—bringing the UK’s aid contribution to its lowest level in 25 years—threatens to undermine this legacy.1 Beyond the cost of receiving refugees and asylum seekers, the humanitarian and health sectors were the largest areas of UK bilateral aid investment in 2023, accounting for 15% and 13% of the foreign aid budget, respectively.2 Against the backdrop of the US aid freeze,3 and at a time when 300 million people worldwide …
