UK Aid Cuts Hit Poorest Nations Hardest, New Figures Show

The world's poorest countries bore the brunt of cuts to Britain's foreign aid budget under Keir Starmer's government, according to new figures reported by The Guardian, while higher-income countries saw their share of UK aid increase over the same period.

The data, released by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), shows a 6.7% decrease in funding directed to least-developed countries and low-income countries, a reduction the Guardian reported amounts to £118m.

According to the figures cited by the newspaper, the decline in support for the world's poorest nations came even as spending allocated to higher-income countries rose as a proportion of Britain's overall aid budget.

The Guardian did not specify in the excerpt reviewed which programmes or regions accounted for the reductions, nor did it detail the government's rationale for the shift in allocation. The FCDO has not yet issued a public response to the figures as reported.

Britain's aid budget has faced sustained scrutiny in recent years amid broader debates over the size and targeting of overseas development assistance. The latest figures add to ongoing discussion about how UK aid spending is prioritised among recipient countries of differing income levels.

This article is based on limited details available from the original report. Further information on the specific programmes affected and any government comment was not available at the time of publication.