“We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP, by 2030.”

Where it stands

The government set out the plan the same day in the policy paper Defending Britain: spending to rise each year to 2.5% of GDP in 2030, £87bn in 2030-31. After the change of government on 5 July 2024 the new government kept the 2.5% level and brought it forward: the Spending Review 2025 confirms defence spending rising to 2.6% of GDP from 2027 on NATO's measure, which counts more intelligence spending (card uk-defence-25-2027), with the defence budget set to 2028-29. "By 2030" is read as the end of 2030. The card moves to Delivered when spending figures show 2.5% of GDP reached.

What has happened

1. Apr 2024The Prime Minister pledges to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030, Promised
2. Apr 2024The policy paper Defending Britain sets out spending rising each year to 2.5% of GDP in 2030, In plan evidence
3. Jun 2025Spending Review 2025 confirms defence spending rising to 2.6% of GDP from 2027 on NATO's measure, with the defence budget set to 2028-29, Funded evidence
4. Dec 2030Defence spending due to reach 2.5% of GDP (editorial date, end of 2030), Deadline

About the cost

Year shown: the average of the six years to 2030. The Prime Minister put the extra spending at £75bn over the next six years (central, £12.5bn a year on average); the policy paper says spending would reach £87bn in 2030-31, £23bn more than in 2024-25, so the yearly amount rises over the period. Low–high is an editorial ±10% because the source gives a central figure only.

• Prime Minister's Office: Prime Minister's defence speech in Warsaw, 23 April 2024
• Cabinet Office: Defending Britain, policy paper (23 Apr 2024)

More detail

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