“We will deliver our commitment to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, but we will bring it forward so that we reach that level in 2027 and we will maintain that for the rest of this Parliament.”

Where it stands

The Spending Review 2025 set the defence budget on a path to 2.6% of GDP on NATO's measure by 2027 (2.5% on the older measure plus intelligence spending), and the June 2026 Defence Investment Plan plans 2.6% in 2026-27 and 2.7% from 2027-28. Money is allocated to 2029-30; the card will move to Delivering when a source confirms spending at the higher level and to Delivered when 2027-28 outturn shows 2.5%.

What has happened

1. Feb 2025PM tells the Commons that defence spending will reach 2.5% of GDP in 2027, paid for by cutting aid to 0.3% of GNI, Promised
2. Jun 2025Spending Review 2025 sets the defence budget on a path to 2.6% of GDP (NATO measure) by 2027, Funded evidence
3. Jun 2026Defence Investment Plan adds £15bn over four years; NATO-measure spending planned at 2.6% in 2026-27 and 2.7% from 2027-28, Funded evidence
4. Apr 20272.5% of GDP due from April 2027, Deadline

About the cost

Year shown: 2027-28, the first full year at the new level. The PM put it at £13.4bn more on defence every year from 2027 (central). The IFS said an extra 0.2% of GDP is around £6bn (low), and that the £13.4bn figure seems to assume the defence budget would otherwise have been frozen in cash terms. The government counts more intelligence spending as defence from 2027, taking the total to 2.6% of GDP on NATO's measure, which is the level the sandbox preset uses.

• Hansard, House of Commons, 25 Feb 2025: Defence and Security
• IFS response to defence spending announcement, 25 Feb 2025

More detail

Related promises

• 5% of GDP on national security by 2035Keir Starmer · LabourIn plan
• Cut manufacturers’ electricity bills by up to 25%Blair McDougall · LabourIn plan
• Publish curriculum and assessment reform proposalsLucy Powell · LabourPromised