Support for women’s education and access to reproductive health are among the first programmes that have been delayed or cancelled as part of the UK’s decision to cut international aid.
In February last year the Government announced that aid spending would be slashed by 40 per cent to pay for an increase in defence spending.
The i Paper has obtained a list of the first programmes that have been “discontinued or deprioritised” as part of the spending cuts.
They include climate support for countries including Iraq, Jordan and the Caribbean, as well as funding for girls’ education and maternal health.
Other affected initiatives include a programme to improve labour conditions in South East Asia and support for infrastructure projects in low-income countries.
Development charities called the Government’s decision “immoral and short-sighted” and said slashing aid “risks exacerbating the very crises that lead to insecurity and conflict”.
The Labour Government is reducing international aid spending from 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to 0.3 per cent of GNI from 2027.
The cuts to aid spending are being used to fund the UK’s pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2027 to respond to increased global security threats, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The aid cuts are being introduced gradually; the budget was reduced by six per cent from £9.28bn in 2024/25 to £8.2bn in 2025/26 with much larger cuts expected over the next two years.
A total of 12 initiatives were delayed or cancelled this year as part of the cuts, according to data obtained by The i Paper under the Freedom of Information Act.
The initiatives have been affected to varying degrees. Some have been delayed, but are still going ahead, such as the Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Platform to help the region adapt to climate change.
However, other projects have been cancelled completely, such as the Girls and Out of School Children: Action for Learning programme to provide access to education in Pakistan.
The cuts come as developing countries deal with the devastating effect of Donald Trump’s wide-ranging aid cuts. Almost 90 per cent of the US’s international development programmes have been wound down.
“Cuts to the UK ODA [Official Development Assistance] budget are costing lives. Political choices made in Westminster mean that children are at risk of missing out on life-saving vaccines, girls are unable to go to school, and healthcare services in refugee camps have been withdrawn,” said Magnus Corfixen, humanitarian lead at Oxfam.
Four of the projects affected by the cuts are based in Jordan, one of the UK’s most trusted allies in the Middle East and an important partner for promoting stability in the region.
Jordan hosts the second-highest share of refugees per capita in the world, including over one million Syrians. The UK aid cuts are impacting programmes designed to boost the country’s economy and welfare system.
“Well spent, aid helps prevent conflict, tackles instability and builds a safer, more just world. Slashing it risks exacerbating the very crises that lead to insecurity and conflict,” said Sophie Powell, chief of UK policy and advocacy at Christian Aid.
A number of programmes designed to help countries transition to net zero and adapt to more extreme weather have also been cancelled or delayed.
“With impacts escalating and adaptation underfunded, now is not the time for the UK to step back from our responsibilities to countries and communities on the frontline of the climate emergency,” said Catherine Pettengell, executive director of Climate Action Network UK.
The UK has signed up to an international agreement to provide developing countries with £11.6bn in climate finance between 2021/22 and 2025/26.
The Government has said this spending will be protected from the aid cuts, however the UK has been less forthcoming in making public funding commitments beyond March next year. The issue was a sticking point at the recent COP30 conference in Brazil.
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Last month an investigation by The i Paper revealed that more than £300m from the UK aid budget remained invested in oil and gas projects across Asia and Africa despite the UK Government’s climate commitments.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “The Prime Minister made the decision to reduce the aid budget to make more funding available for defence and security – this is the first responsibility of any Government.
“We remain resolutely committed to international development and have been clear we must modernise our approach to development to reflect the changing global context. We will bring UK expertise and investment to where it is needed most, while sharpening our focus on humanitarian support, global health, and climate and nature.”
The 12 programmes being cancelled or delayed
The Global Family Planning Partnership
Programme designed to support the Family Planning 2030 partnership, which aims to progress women and girls’ access to contraception and reproductive health across the globe.
Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
An alliance of over 192 countries focused on improving the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. It has contributed to reducing preventable maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality.
Gender and Human Rights in the Informal Economy
Programme designed to generate innovative, collaborative and sustainable initiatives to improve labour conditions in South and South East Asia.
Girls and Out of School Children: Action for Learning
A programme to improve access to education for girls and the most marginalised in Pakistan. The programme’s overall budget was £41m and was due to last until 2028.
Catalytic Climate Action in Iraq
Programme to help Iraq move towards net zero and build resilience to climate change.
Preparations for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development
A “suite of actions”, including funding the attendance of less economically developed nations from the global south to a development finance conference in Seville, which aims to boost investment and address the debt crisis of many of the world’s poorest countries.
Strengthening Societal and Economic Resilience in Jordan
Working with the Jordanian Government to improve the welfare system in Jordan, including for refugees. This programme had an overall budget of £87m and was due to end in 2027.
Assistance for Modernisation and National Accountability in Jordan
A programme designed to provide capacity support to the Government of Jordan to respond to the needs of its citizens.
Climate Adaptation and Resilience for Jordan
Programme to help Jordan meet its climate targets and provide research and UK expertise on adapting to climate change
Jordan Growth and Prosperity Programme
Initiative focused on inclusive growth for refugees and marginalised communities. Encourages “job-rich growth for stability, including women’s economic inclusion”.
UK Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Platform
Designed to help developing small island states access climate finance. The start date of this programme has been delayed, but is still going ahead.
The British Support for Infrastructure Projects Programme
Initiative to make infrastructure projects more affordable to partner governments in fiscally constrained and low-income countries.
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