In this section: Public services
Foreign affairs and aid: the FCDO, embassies and aid
Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.
£10.3bn was spent on international services (diplomacy and aid) in the UK in 2025-26, £149 per resident. That is −4.4% on a year earlier after inflation (−1.1% in cash). In 2025-26 prices it has gone from £10.2bn in 2006-07 to £10.3bn. Aid was £13.1bn in 2025, 0.44% of gross national income, against a plan of 0.3% by 2027. The FCDO runs 280 overseas posts.
Figure as of 16 July 2026. Source: HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury.
Key figures
- £10.3bnSpent in 2025-26, cash −1.1% on a year earlier
- −4.4%Real-terms change, 2025-26 on a year earlier £10.3bn in 2025-26 prices
- £149Per resident, 2025-26
- 0.44%Aid as a share of gross national income, 2025
- 280FCDO overseas posts, 2025-26
Sources: HM Treasury, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
What is the short version?
- Three measures of the money: HM Treasury’s international services, the FCDO’s budget and aid as the OECD counts it. They are shown apart.
- The Foreign Office and DFID merged in September 2020; earlier years add the two together.
- 16,611 staff at 31 March 2026: 7,618 UK-based and 8,993 employed locally overseas.
- Aid has fallen from 0.7% to 0.5% and is planned to reach 0.3% of national income by 2027.
Over the longest run published: cash, real terms and per head
Real terms use HM Treasury’s GDP deflator, 2025-26 prices. Breaks in the series: 2020-21: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development merged into the FCDO on 2 September 2020. PESA restates the merged department from 2016-17; earlier years are the two added together here. 2016-17: Earlier FCDO years are the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development added together, from PESA editions that published them apart; departmental boundaries (trade promotion, the conflict and stability funds) moved over time. 2021-22: Aid was cut from 0.7% to 0.5% of gross national income from 2021 (Spending Review 2020).
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Cash |
|---|---|---|
2006-07Details for 2006-07 | £10.2bn | £6.3bn |
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2007-08Details for 2007-08 | £10.8bn | £6.7bn |
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2008-09Details for 2008-09 | £11.2bn | £7.2bn |
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2009-10Details for 2009-10 | £12.2bn | £8.0bn |
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2010-11Details for 2010-11 | £13.4bn | £8.9bn |
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2011-12Details for 2011-12 | £11.4bn | £7.7bn |
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2012-13Details for 2012-13 | £11.2bn | £7.7bn |
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2013-14Details for 2013-14 | £13.9bn | £9.8bn |
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2014-15Details for 2014-15 | £14.7bn | £10.5bn |
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2015-16Details for 2015-16 | £14.1bn | £10.1bn |
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2016-17Details for 2016-17 | £14.7bn | £10.8bn |
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2017-18Details for 2017-18 | £14.0bn | £10.4bn |
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2018-19Details for 2018-19 | £15.6bn | £11.9bn |
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2019-20Details for 2019-20 | £15.0bn | £11.7bn |
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2020-21Details for 2020-21 | £13.7bn | £11.3bn |
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2021-22Details for 2021-22 | £10.2bn | £8.4bn |
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2022-23Details for 2022-23 | £9.7bn | £8.6bn |
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2023-24Details for 2023-24 | £11.3bn | £10.5bn |
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2024-25Details for 2024-25 | £10.8bn | £10.4bn |
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2025-26Details for 2025-26 | £10.3bn | £10.3bn |
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Figure as of 16 July 2026. Source: HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury.
Per resident divides by ONS mid-year population estimates.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Per resident, 2025-26 prices | Per resident, cash |
|---|---|---|
2006-07Details for 2006-07 | £168 | £103 |
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2007-08Details for 2007-08 | £176 | £110 |
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2008-09Details for 2008-09 | £181 | £117 |
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2009-10Details for 2009-10 | £196 | £128 |
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2010-11Details for 2010-11 | £213 | £142 |
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2011-12Details for 2011-12 | £180 | £122 |
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2012-13Details for 2012-13 | £175 | £121 |
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2013-14Details for 2013-14 | £216 | £153 |
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2014-15Details for 2014-15 | £227 | £162 |
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2015-16Details for 2015-16 | £216 | £156 |
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2016-17Details for 2016-17 | £224 | £165 |
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2017-18Details for 2017-18 | £212 | £158 |
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2018-19Details for 2018-19 | £235 | £179 |
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2019-20Details for 2019-20 | £225 | £176 |
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2020-21Details for 2020-21 | £206 | £169 |
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2021-22Details for 2021-22 | £153 | £126 |
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2022-23Details for 2022-23 | £144 | £127 |
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2023-24Details for 2023-24 | £165 | £153 |
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2024-25Details for 2024-25 | £156 | £151 |
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2025-26Details for 2025-26 | £149 | £149 |
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Figure as of 16 July 2026. Source: HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury.
Source: HM Treasury, PESA 2026: chapter 1 and 5 tables, published 16 July 2026; HM Treasury, PESA 2021: chapter 1 and 5 tables, published 20 July 2021; HM Treasury, PESA 2016: chapter 1 and 5 tables, published 21 July 2016; HM Treasury, PESA 2011: chapter 1 and 5 tables, published 13 July 2011.
Aid and diplomacy: what the money is spent on
Of the £10.3bn the UK spent on international services in 2025-26, £7.2bn was foreign economic aid and £3.1bn external affairs. International services are compared with every other kind of public spending on where public money goes and where every £100 of tax goes. Aid as the OECD counts it is a different, wider measure; it is further down this page.
HM Treasury’s spending by function (PESA tables 5.2 and 5.4), each year from the newest edition that has it. External affairs is worked out here as international services less foreign economic aid: diplomacy and consular work, the overseas network, the British Council and BBC World Service grants, and subscriptions to international organisations. Real terms use HM Treasury’s GDP deflator.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Foreign economic aid | External affairs |
|---|---|---|
2006-07Details for 2006-07 | £7.0bn | £3.2bn |
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2007-08Details for 2007-08 | £7.4bn | £3.4bn |
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2008-09Details for 2008-09 | £7.7bn | £3.5bn |
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2009-10Details for 2009-10 | £8.7bn | £3.5bn |
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2010-11Details for 2010-11 | £9.7bn | £3.6bn |
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2011-12Details for 2011-12 | £8.1bn | £3.3bn |
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2012-13Details for 2012-13 | £8.1bn | £3.1bn |
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2013-14Details for 2013-14 | £10.7bn | £3.1bn |
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2014-15Details for 2014-15 | £11.9bn | £2.7bn |
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2015-16Details for 2015-16 | £11.3bn | £2.7bn |
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2016-17Details for 2016-17 | £11.9bn | £2.8bn |
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2017-18Details for 2017-18 | £11.6bn | £2.4bn |
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2018-19Details for 2018-19 | £12.4bn | £3.2bn |
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2019-20Details for 2019-20 | £11.7bn | £3.3bn |
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2020-21Details for 2020-21 | £10.5bn | £3.3bn |
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2021-22Details for 2021-22 | £7.0bn | £3.2bn |
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2022-23Details for 2022-23 | £5.9bn | £3.9bn |
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2023-24Details for 2023-24 | £7.9bn | £3.5bn |
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2024-25Details for 2024-25 | £7.9bn | £2.9bn |
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2025-26Details for 2025-26 | £7.2bn | £3.1bn |
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Figure as of 16 July 2026. Source: HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury.
The department: before and after the merger
The FCDO’s budget was £10.9bn in 2025-26: £7.4bn of programme spending, £3.2bn of capital and a £333m administration budget for running costs. The fall after 2020-21 is mostly the cut in aid from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income.
Departmental expenditure limits from PESA chapter 1. Before 2016-17 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development are added together here; they merged on 2 September 2020 and PESA restates the merged department from 2016-17. Programme spending is worked out here as the total less capital and administration; it includes frontline staff at posts.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Programme spending (resource) | Capital | Administration budget |
|---|---|---|---|
2006-07Details for 2006-07 | £8.8bn | £1.5bn | £0.7bn |
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2007-08Details for 2007-08 | £9.3bn | £1.6bn | £0.6bn |
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2008-09Details for 2008-09 | £9.7bn | £1.7bn | £0.7bn |
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2009-10Details for 2009-10 | £10.4bn | £2.4bn | £0.7bn |
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2010-11Details for 2010-11 | £11.3bn | £2.6bn | £0.8bn |
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2011-12Details for 2011-12 | £11.3bn | £2.9bn | £0.4bn |
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2012-13Details for 2012-13 | £11.0bn | £2.8bn | £0.4bn |
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2013-14Details for 2013-14 | £13.4bn | £3.4bn | £0.4bn |
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2014-15Details for 2014-15 | £11.8bn | £3.9bn | £0.4bn |
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2015-16Details for 2015-16 | £11.6bn | £3.6bn | £0.3bn |
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2016-17Details for 2016-17 | £12.4bn | £3.6bn | £0.3bn |
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2017-18Details for 2017-18 | £12.5bn | £3.3bn | £0.4bn |
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2018-19Details for 2018-19 | £12.0bn | £4.3bn | £0.3bn |
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2019-20Details for 2019-20 | £13.0bn | £2.8bn | £0.3bn |
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2020-21Details for 2020-21 | £11.5bn | £3.5bn | £0.3bn |
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2021-22Details for 2021-22 | £8.7bn | £2.1bn | £0.3bn |
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2022-23Details for 2022-23 | £7.8bn | £2.4bn | £0.3bn |
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2023-24Details for 2023-24 | £7.9bn | £3.7bn | £0.3bn |
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2024-25Details for 2024-25 | £8.2bn | £2.7bn | £0.3bn |
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2025-26Details for 2025-26 | £7.4bn | £3.2bn | £0.3bn |
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Figure as of 16 July 2026. Source: HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury, HM Treasury.
| Year | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | Department for International Development |
|---|---|---|
2006-07Details for 2006-07 | £1.9bn | £4.9bn |
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2007-08Details for 2007-08 | £2.0bn | £5.2bn |
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2008-09Details for 2008-09 | £2.2bn | £5.6bn |
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2009-10Details for 2009-10 | £2.2bn | £6.6bn |
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2010-11Details for 2010-11 | £2.3bn | £7.5bn |
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2011-12Details for 2011-12 | £2.2bn | £7.8bn |
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2012-13Details for 2012-13 | £2.0bn | £7.8bn |
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2013-14Details for 2013-14 | £2.1bn | £10.0bn |
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2014-15Details for 2014-15 | £1.9bn | £9.7bn |
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2015-16Details for 2015-16 | £1.9bn | £9.3bn |
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| Year | Plan |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 | £9.4bn |
| 2027-28 | £8.7bn |
| 2028-29 | £9.3bn |
Plans, not spending, shown apart from the outturn above.
Where the money goes, level by level
- UK total (this level)
- Nation not published
- Department or service body
- Local body not published
- Spending category
- Line or transaction
United Kingdom
HM Treasury’s public spending on international services: foreign economic aid, and external affairs (diplomacy, consular services, the overseas network, information and cultural services abroad such as the British Council and the BBC World Service, and subscriptions to international organisations). Current and capital spending, PESA table 5.4. It is not the same as aid (ODA), which counts some spending by other departments, such as support for refugees in the UK, that sits under other functions.
£10.3bn in 2025-26 (cash); £10.3bn in 2025-26 prices; £149 per resident; −1.1% on a year earlier in cash, −4.4% in real terms.
| Department or service body | Cash, 2025-26 | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Per resident | Real change on a year earlier | Source | Below this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeDetails for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | £10.9bn | £10.9bn | £157 | −3.6% | HM Treasury | Broken down below |
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Other departments’ international servicesDetails for Other departments’ international services | £159m | £159m | £2.29 | — | HM Treasury | Broken down below |
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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Total departmental expenditure limits (resource, excluding depreciation, plus capital). From 2016-17 as PESA restates it for the merged department; before that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development added together here, from 2006-07. It includes a little FCDO spending that HM Treasury classes as other than international services, and is a different measure from the total above.
£10.9bn in 2025-26 (cash); £10.9bn in 2025-26 prices; £157 per resident; −0.2% on a year earlier in cash, −3.6% in real terms.
| Spending category | Cash, 2025-26 | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Per resident | Real change on a year earlier | Source | Below this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Programme spending (resource)Details for Programme spending (resource) | £7.4bn | £7.4bn | £106 | −10.0% | HM Treasury | Line or transaction not published: HM Treasury does not break programme spending down further. The aid part is published by country, sector and partner in the Statistics on International Development (calendar years, aid only) and project by project on DevTracker; the FCDO’s annual report breaks its programme outturn down by directorate in PDF tables only. The FCDO’s monthly payments over £25,000 stopped being published after January 2025. |
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CapitalDetails for Capital | £3.2bn | £3.2bn | £45.52 | +15.3% | HM Treasury | Line or transaction not published: Capital spending is not published below the department’s total in PESA; the annual report lists the largest capital items in PDF only. |
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Administration budget (running costs)Details for Administration budget (running costs) | £333m | £333m | £4.79 | −1.2% | HM Treasury | Line or transaction not published: The administration budget is published as one figure. Running costs by post or embassy are not published. |
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Other departments’ international services
Spending classed as international services by departments other than the FCDO, 2025-26 only: PESA publishes this split for the latest year of each edition.
£159m in 2025-26 (cash); £159m in 2025-26 prices; £2.29 per resident.
| Line or transaction | Cash, 2025-26 | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Per resident | Real change on a year earlier | Source | Below this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDetails for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | £128m | £128m | £1.84 | — | HM Treasury | |
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Energy Security and Net ZeroDetails for Energy Security and Net Zero | £31m | £31m | £0.45 | — | HM Treasury | |
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Cash is as published. Real terms are in 2025-26 prices, using HM Treasury’s GDP deflator. Per resident divides by ONS mid-year population for the area the body serves. Changes compare the same body in consecutive years.
Search the department's payments over £25,000
Every payment of £25,000 or more the department published for the latest year, as published. See every department's spending over £25,000 for what each covers.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office published 53,693 payments worth £8.80bn to 1,895 suppliers and recipients from February 2024 to January 2025 (12 of 12 months published).
Gaps and problems in the data, as published (3)
- The newest payment published is from 2025-01, 20 months before this was read.
- 73% of rows are under £25,000: the department lists individual lines of larger payments, or publishes some smaller ones. They are kept as published.
- 4 credits and refunds (negative amounts, £103,471 in all) are included, so totals are net.
Searching needs JavaScript. Every payment is in one JSON file.
Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, spending over £25,000 on GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0. 12 files read, newest updated 2025-02-27; every payment kept is in one JSON file.
Every file read (12)
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for January 2025 (2025-01): 4,418 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for December 2024 (2024-12): 7,278 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for November 2024 (2024-11): 2,438 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for October 2024 (2024-10): 6,652 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for September 2024 (2024-09): 4,228 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for August 2024 (2024-08): 4,217 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for July 2024 (2024-07): 2,919 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for June 2024 (2024-06): 4,867 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for May 2024 (2024-05): 4,411 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for April 2024 (2024-04): 3,629 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for March 2024 (2024-03): 3,188 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
- FCDO’s spending over £25,000 for February 2024 (2024-02): 5,448 rows. Read 2026-09-24.
Aid: the target, who spends it and what it costs to run
The UK spent £13.1bn on aid in 2025, 0.44% of gross national income. It first reached 0.7% in 2013. The FCDO spent 69.1% of it; the rest went through other departments, above all the Home Office’s support for asylum seekers in the UK. Administration costs were £790m (6.0% of all aid).
Calendar years, from the FCDO’s Statistics on International Development. From 2018 aid is measured on the OECD’s grant-equivalent basis. The 0.7% target was in law from 2015; the government reduced aid to 0.5% from 2021 and plans 0.3% by 2027.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Aid, % of GNI | 0.7% target |
|---|---|---|
1970Details for 1970 | 0.36% | 0.70% |
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1971Details for 1971 | 0.40% | 0.70% |
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1972Details for 1972 | 0.38% | 0.70% |
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1973Details for 1973 | 0.34% | 0.70% |
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1974Details for 1974 | 0.40% | 0.70% |
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1975Details for 1975 | 0.39% | 0.70% |
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1976Details for 1976 | 0.39% | 0.70% |
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1977Details for 1977 | 0.44% | 0.70% |
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1978Details for 1978 | 0.46% | 0.70% |
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1979Details for 1979 | 0.51% | 0.70% |
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1980Details for 1980 | 0.35% | 0.70% |
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1981Details for 1981 | 0.43% | 0.70% |
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1982Details for 1982 | 0.37% | 0.70% |
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1983Details for 1983 | 0.35% | 0.70% |
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1984Details for 1984 | 0.33% | 0.70% |
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1985Details for 1985 | 0.33% | 0.70% |
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1986Details for 1986 | 0.31% | 0.70% |
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1987Details for 1987 | 0.28% | 0.70% |
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1988Details for 1988 | 0.32% | 0.70% |
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1989Details for 1989 | 0.31% | 0.70% |
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1990Details for 1990 | 0.27% | 0.70% |
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1991Details for 1991 | 0.32% | 0.70% |
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1992Details for 1992 | 0.31% | 0.70% |
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1993Details for 1993 | 0.31% | 0.70% |
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1994Details for 1994 | 0.31% | 0.70% |
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1995Details for 1995 | 0.29% | 0.70% |
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1996Details for 1996 | 0.27% | 0.70% |
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1997Details for 1997 | 0.26% | 0.70% |
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1998Details for 1998 | 0.27% | 0.70% |
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1999Details for 1999 | 0.24% | 0.70% |
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2000Details for 2000 | 0.32% | 0.70% |
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2001Details for 2001 | 0.32% | 0.70% |
| ||
2002Details for 2002 | 0.31% | 0.70% |
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2003Details for 2003 | 0.34% | 0.70% |
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2004Details for 2004 | 0.36% | 0.70% |
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2005Details for 2005 | 0.47% | 0.70% |
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2006Details for 2006 | 0.51% | 0.70% |
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2007Details for 2007 | 0.36% | 0.70% |
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2008Details for 2008 | 0.43% | 0.70% |
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2009Details for 2009 | 0.51% | 0.70% |
| ||
2010Details for 2010 | 0.57% | 0.70% |
| ||
2011Details for 2011 | 0.56% | 0.70% |
| ||
2012Details for 2012 | 0.56% | 0.70% |
| ||
2013Details for 2013 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
| ||
2014Details for 2014 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
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2015Details for 2015 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
| ||
2016Details for 2016 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
| ||
2017Details for 2017 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
| ||
2018Details for 2018 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
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2019Details for 2019 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
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2020Details for 2020 | 0.70% | 0.70% |
| ||
2021Details for 2021 | 0.50% | 0.70% |
| ||
2022Details for 2022 | 0.51% | 0.70% |
| ||
2023Details for 2023 | 0.58% | 0.70% |
| ||
2024Details for 2024 | 0.50% | 0.70% |
| ||
2025Details for 2025 | 0.44% | 0.70% |
| ||
Figure as of 17 September 2026. Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
How the aid target has changed
-
26 March 2015
The International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 puts a duty on the Secretary of State to meet the target of 0.7% of gross national income as aid each calendar year from 2015. (legislation.gov.uk: International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015)
-
25 November 2020
Spending Review 2020: the UK will spend the equivalent of 0.5% of gross national income as aid in 2021, about £10 billion in 2021-22; the government says it remains committed to returning to 0.7% when the fiscal situation allows. (HM Treasury, Spending Review 2020, paragraph 7.17)
-
25 February 2025
The Prime Minister announces that higher defence spending will be paid for by reducing aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income; the government remains committed to returning to 0.7% when fiscal conditions allow. (Prime Minister's Office, press release, 25 February 2025)
-
27 March 2025
Spring Statement 2025: aid falls gradually from about 0.5% of gross national income in 2024-25 to 0.3% by 2027, with budgets set on the Spring Statement's forecast of national income rather than moving automatically with it. (HM Treasury and FCDO, Future international development spending set out in Spring Statement)
| Department or channel | 2024 | 2025 | Share of aid, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeDetails for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | £9.5bn | £9.1bn | 69.1% |
| |||
Home OfficeDetails for Home Office | £2.4bn | £2.1bn | 15.8% |
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Department for Health and Social CareDetails for Department for Health and Social Care | £424m | £400m | 3.1% |
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UK Integrated Security FundDetails for UK Integrated Security Fund | £387m | £265m | 2.0% |
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Department for Energy Security and Net ZeroDetails for Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | £408m | £200m | 1.5% |
| |||
Department for Science, Innovation and TechnologyDetails for Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | £214m | £199m | 1.5% |
| |||
Gift AidDetails for Gift Aid | £168m | £195m | 1.5% |
| |||
Department for Environment Food and Rural AffairsDetails for Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs | £186m | £193m | 1.5% |
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UK Export FinanceDetails for UK Export Finance | £25m | £135m | 1.0% |
| |||
Department for Work and PensionsDetails for Department for Work and Pensions | £95m | £89m | 0.7% |
| |||
Department for EducationDetails for Department for Education | £91m | £74m | 0.6% |
| |||
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentDetails for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | £98m | £69m | 0.5% |
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Bilateral aid by sector, calendar years. Administration costs are the running costs of managing aid not charged to programmes, across every department that spends aid. Refugee costs are the first year’s support for asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, which OECD rules let donors count as aid.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Administration costs of donors | Refugees in the UK |
|---|---|---|
2009Details for 2009 | £254m | £7m |
| ||
2010Details for 2010 | £238m | £12m |
| ||
2011Details for 2011 | £286m | £20m |
| ||
2012Details for 2012 | £333m | £28m |
| ||
2013Details for 2013 | £352m | £32m |
| ||
2014Details for 2014 | £373m | £135m |
| ||
2015Details for 2015 | £378m | £245m |
| ||
2016Details for 2016 | £470m | £410m |
| ||
2017Details for 2017 | £543m | £378m |
| ||
2018Details for 2018 | £658m | £370m |
| ||
2019Details for 2019 | £759m | £477m |
| ||
2020Details for 2020 | £784m | £628m |
| ||
2021Details for 2021 | £740m | £1,052m |
| ||
2022Details for 2022 | £678m | £3,690m |
| ||
2023Details for 2023 | £705m | £4,273m |
| ||
2024Details for 2024 | £714m | £2,827m |
| ||
2025Details for 2025 | £790m | £2,403m |
| ||
Figure as of 17 September 2026. Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Statistics on International Development: final UK ODA spend 2025: chart tables, published 17 September 2026; Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Statistics on International Development: final UK ODA spend 2025: additional tables, published 17 September 2026.
Staff and the overseas network
| Date | All staff | UK-based | Country-based | UK-based FTE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
31 March 2021Details for 31 March 2021 | 16,732 | 7,471 | 9,261 | 7,329 |
| ||||
31 March 2022Details for 31 March 2022 | 16,124 | 7,076 | 9,048 | 6,940 |
| ||||
31 March 2023Details for 31 March 2023 | 17,033 | 7,601 | 9,432 | 7,463 |
| ||||
31 March 2024Details for 31 March 2024 | 17,532 | 8,167 | 9,365 | 8,034 |
| ||||
31 March 2025Details for 31 March 2025 | 17,326 | 8,152 | 9,174 | 8,019 |
| ||||
31 March 2026Details for 31 March 2026 | 16,611 | 7,618 | 8,993 | 7,500 |
| ||||
UK-based payroll staff numbered 7,248 in August 2026, down 10.3% on a year earlier.
The FCDO’s monthly workforce management information: UK-based payroll staff only. Country-based staff, employed locally by posts overseas, are about half the workforce and are not in these files; the table above has them at each 31 March. Months with no published file are left out.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Headcount | Full-time equivalent |
|---|---|---|
September 2020Details for September 2020 | 7,740 | 7,600 |
| ||
October 2020Details for October 2020 | 7,677 | 7,533 |
| ||
November 2020Details for November 2020 | 7,610 | 7,468 |
| ||
December 2020Details for December 2020 | 7,514 | 7,373 |
| ||
January 2021Details for January 2021 | 7,481 | 7,341 |
| ||
February 2021Details for February 2021 | 7,458 | 7,317 |
| ||
March 2021Details for March 2021 | 7,471 | 7,329 |
| ||
April 2021Details for April 2021 | 7,439 | 7,299 |
| ||
May 2021Details for May 2021 | 7,408 | 7,268 |
| ||
June 2021Details for June 2021 | 7,390 | 7,251 |
| ||
July 2021Details for July 2021 | 7,373 | 7,233 |
| ||
August 2021Details for August 2021 | 7,301 | 7,163 |
| ||
September 2021Details for September 2021 | 7,242 | 7,100 |
| ||
October 2021Details for October 2021 | 7,172 | 7,032 |
| ||
November 2021Details for November 2021 | 7,118 | 6,977 |
| ||
December 2021Details for December 2021 | 7,112 | 6,973 |
| ||
January 2022Details for January 2022 | 7,073 | 6,935 |
| ||
February 2022Details for February 2022 | 7,073 | 6,938 |
| ||
March 2022Details for March 2022 | 7,076 | 6,940 |
| ||
January 2023Details for January 2023 | 7,484 | 7,334 |
| ||
February 2023Details for February 2023 | 7,527 | 7,395 |
| ||
March 2023Details for March 2023 | 7,601 | 7,463 |
| ||
April 2023Details for April 2023 | 7,658 | 7,527 |
| ||
May 2023Details for May 2023 | 7,731 | 7,594 |
| ||
June 2023Details for June 2023 | 7,798 | 7,667 |
| ||
July 2023Details for July 2023 | 7,828 | 7,697 |
| ||
August 2023Details for August 2023 | 7,881 | 7,750 |
| ||
September 2023Details for September 2023 | 7,918 | 7,787 |
| ||
October 2023Details for October 2023 | 7,967 | 7,835 |
| ||
November 2023Details for November 2023 | 8,027 | 7,891 |
| ||
December 2023Details for December 2023 | 8,080 | 7,945 |
| ||
January 2024Details for January 2024 | 8,121 | 7,985 |
| ||
February 2024Details for February 2024 | 8,140 | 8,006 |
| ||
March 2024Details for March 2024 | 8,167 | 8,034 |
| ||
April 2024Details for April 2024 | 8,199 | 8,066 |
| ||
May 2024Details for May 2024 | 8,213 | 8,076 |
| ||
June 2024Details for June 2024 | 8,188 | 8,054 |
| ||
July 2024Details for July 2024 | 8,210 | 8,077 |
| ||
August 2024Details for August 2024 | 8,250 | 8,117 |
| ||
September 2024Details for September 2024 | 8,266 | 8,132 |
| ||
October 2024Details for October 2024 | 8,318 | 8,184 |
| ||
November 2024Details for November 2024 | 8,302 | 8,171 |
| ||
December 2024Details for December 2024 | 8,273 | 8,141 |
| ||
January 2025Details for January 2025 | 8,239 | 8,107 |
| ||
February 2025Details for February 2025 | 8,171 | 8,038 |
| ||
March 2025Details for March 2025 | 8,152 | 8,019 |
| ||
April 2025Details for April 2025 | 8,148 | 8,015 |
| ||
May 2025Details for May 2025 | 8,126 | 7,993 |
| ||
June 2025Details for June 2025 | 8,114 | 7,978 |
| ||
July 2025Details for July 2025 | 8,098 | 7,960 |
| ||
August 2025Details for August 2025 | 8,082 | 7,944 |
| ||
September 2025Details for September 2025 | 8,067 | 7,927 |
| ||
October 2025Details for October 2025 | 8,064 | 7,927 |
| ||
November 2025Details for November 2025 | 7,781 | 7,659 |
| ||
December 2025Details for December 2025 | 7,707 | 7,586 |
| ||
January 2026Details for January 2026 | 7,660 | 7,541 |
| ||
February 2026Details for February 2026 | 7,640 | 7,521 |
| ||
March 2026Details for March 2026 | 7,618 | 7,500 |
| ||
April 2026Details for April 2026 | 7,554 | 7,437 |
| ||
June 2026Details for June 2026 | 7,497 | 7,382 |
| ||
July 2026Details for July 2026 | 7,389 | 7,283 |
| ||
August 2026Details for August 2026 | 7,248 | 7,150 |
| ||
Figure as of unknown date. Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
| Kind of post | Number |
|---|---|
| Embassies and high commissions | 162 |
| Consulates, consulates-general and deputy high commissions | 63 |
| Permanent missions to international organisations | 11 |
| Overseas Territories posts | 12 |
| Resident commissioners | 4 |
| Other representation | 30 |
| All officially designated posts | 280 |
The report gives the total as 280; the categories it lists add up to 282. Earlier years: 2021-22 282, 2022-23 281, 2023-24 281, 2024-25 282. From the FCDO’s annual reports, checked 24 September 2026. Spending by post is not published.
The British Council and the BBC World Service
The British Council is a charity and public corporation sponsored by the FCDO; most of its income is earned from English teaching, exams and contracts, not from the grant. It had 9,446 employees in the year to 31 March 2025. The British Council also relies on a £197 million loan from the FCDO on commercial terms, extended to 30 September 2027.
| Year | FCDO grant-in-aid | of which aid | Total income | Earned from its activities | Share earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020-21Details for 2020-21 | £149.0m | £135.0m | £925.0m | £762.4m | 82.4% |
| |||||
2021-22Details for 2021-22 | £189.0m | £150.0m | £896.7m | £706.1m | 78.7% |
| |||||
2022-23Details for 2022-23 | £163.4m | £125.2m | £873.3m | £695.1m | 79.6% |
| |||||
2023-24Details for 2023-24 | £161.5m | £126.5m | £989.3m | £786.8m | 79.5% |
| |||||
2024-25Details for 2024-25 | £162.5m | £126.5m | £1,010.4m | £826.3m | 81.8% |
| |||||
2025-26Details for 2025-26 | £178.1m | £126.9m | — | — | — |
| |||||
Grant-in-aid from the FCDO’s annual reports; income from the Charity Commission register (year to 31 March), with the total added up here from its parts. Checked 24 September 2026.
| Year | Total | Aid (ODA) | Not aid | Outturn or plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2021-22Details for 2021-22 | £94.4m | £76.9m | £17.5m | Outturn |
| ||||
2022-23Details for 2022-23 | £95.8m | £78.3m | £17.5m | Outturn |
| ||||
2023-24Details for 2023-24 | £104.4m | £76.9m | £27.5m | Outturn |
| ||||
2024-25Details for 2024-25 | £104.4m | £76.9m | £27.5m | Outturn |
| ||||
2025-26Details for 2025-26 | £142.0m | £82.5m | £59.5m | Outturn |
| ||||
2026-27Details for 2026-27 | £148.0m | £85.5m | £62.5m | Plan |
| ||||
2027-28Details for 2027-28 | £148.0m | £88.5m | £59.5m | Plan |
| ||||
2028-29Details for 2028-29 | £148.0m | £91.5m | £56.5m | Plan |
| ||||
From the programme annex of the FCDO’s annual reports. The licence fee pays for the rest of the World Service; that is in the BBC’s own accounts, not here.
Source: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO annual report and accounts (staff report, arm’s length bodies, programme annex; hand-kept); Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of charities: The British Council (209131), financial history (hand-kept).
What each figure counts
What each measure counts
-
UK official development assistance (aid)
All UK spending that counts as aid under the OECD’s rules, by every department and fund, in the calendar year; cash.
-
Aid as a share of gross national income
UK aid divided by gross national income, the measure the 0.7%, 0.5% and 0.3% targets use. Calendar years; the method for counting some loans and in-donor refugee costs changed in 2018.
-
Aid administration costs
Bilateral aid recorded as “administrative costs of donors”: the running costs of managing aid that are not charged to a programme. Calendar years, cash.
-
Aid spent on refugees in the UK
In-donor refugee costs: the first year of support for asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, which the OECD rules let donors count as aid. Calendar years, cash.
-
UK-based staff (payroll headcount)
The FCDO’s UK-based payroll staff at the end of the month, in the UK and overseas; excludes country-based staff employed locally by embassies, and contractors.
-
Country-based staff at 31 March
Staff recruited and employed locally by the FCDO’s posts overseas, at 31 March. From the annual report (hand-kept).
-
Overseas posts
Officially designated overseas posts: embassies, high commissions, consulates, permanent missions, Overseas Territories posts and other representation, as the annual report counts them (hand-kept).
-
British Council income from its charitable activities
Income the British Council earns from English teaching, exams and contracts (the register’s “charitable activities”), year to 31 March.
-
FCDO funding for the BBC World Service
The FCDO’s grant to the BBC World Service in the financial year, ODA and non-ODA together, from the FCDO’s annual report (hand-kept). The licence fee pays for the rest of the World Service.
What these figures do and don't show
- Three measures, not one. HM Treasury’s international services (the long-run chart), the FCDO’s departmental limits (the drill-down) and aid as the OECD counts it measure different things and do not match.
- Financial years and calendar years are kept apart. Spending and budgets are financial years; aid statistics are calendar years and are never added to them.
- The merger is a break. The FCO and DFID merged on 2 September 2020. PESA restates the merged department from 2016-17; earlier years add the two departments together here, and their boundaries moved over time.
- Some figures are worked out here. External affairs is international services less foreign economic aid; programme spending is total DEL less capital and the administration budget; the British Council’s total income is added up from its parts.
- Not everything is published. There is no spending by embassy or post, and no nation level: foreign affairs are reserved and spent for the UK as a whole. The FCDO stopped publishing its payments over £25,000 after January 2025.
- Hand-kept figures come from PDFs. Staff at 31 March, the overseas network, British Council grant and BBC World Service funding are from the FCDO’s annual reports, each checked on the date shown.
- Nothing here shows cause and effect. Staff, posts and aid are shown beside the money, not as what it bought.
Figures from data/services/foreign-affairs.json, generated 29 September 2026.
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