Bond comment on NAO report on FCDO’s response to sudden-onset humanitarian crises

Today, Friday 12th June 2026, the National Audit Office (NAO) published a new report examining the FCDO’s response to sudden-onset humanitarian crises, that finds the FCDO delivers timely responses despite a challenging global picture. However, the NAO warns that, as funding is cut and global humanitarian need grows, the FCDO must assess its future capability requirements to continue to provide an effective and rapid response during these crises.

The report notes that, amid a worsening humanitarian situation, with conflict and climate shocks causing more frequent and complex crises around the world, global humanitarian funding has fallen as many of the world’s major donors, including the UK, have reduced their aid budgets.

In March 2025, the UK announced its aid budget would reduce from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI by 2027. Allocations of the UK ODA budget for the upcoming three years, announced by the Foreign Secretary in March 2026, revealed that funding for the Humanitarian thematic directorate will drop by 21% between 2024/25, before the cuts were announced, to 2028/29.

Gideon Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Bond, the UK network for NGOs, said:

“The UK has a proud reputation of stepping up to lead the response to humanitarian crises around the world, from Hurricanne Melissa in Jamaica to conflict in Ukraine. We welcome the FCDO’s continued commitment to mobilising at speed to reach communities whose lives have been affected by emergencies.

However, despite the Foreign Secretary listing humanitarian support as a priority of the UK aid budget, and maintaining funding for crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and Lebanon, cuts to funding for humanitarian assistance – as well as to conflict prevention and peacebuilding programmes – will weaken the UK’s ability to prevent, and respond to, future emergencies. 

Against a backdrop of increasing humanitarian need worldwide – with conflict and crises growing in number and severity – we echo the NAO’s warning that cuts to the UK aid budget and FCDO workforce will hinder the department’s ability to deliver effective and timely responses to meet this need. We urge the FCDO to heed the NAO’s recommendation to undergo a strategic assessment of its future needs, and set out how it plans to maintain expertise, capacity and value for money in light of a reduced UK aid budget. The FCDO must meet the moment, and ensure every penny of UK aid reaches those who need it most, as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The report by the National Audit Office is available here. For queries on the report, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
2. The National Audit Office (NAO) scrutinises public spending for Parliament and is independent of government and the civil service. It helps Parliament hold government to account and it uses its insights to help people who manage and govern public bodies improve public services.
3. For further information or interviews, please contact Emily Loynes on [email protected] or 07909947850
4. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 330 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.