# Spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030

> “We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP, by 2030.”
>
> — Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister, Conservative Party; Defence speech in Warsaw, 23 April 2024

- **Status:** Funded
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Defence](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/defence)
- **Speaker:** [Rishi Sunak](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/rishi-sunak), Prime Minister
- **Party:** [Conservative Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/conservatives)
- **Made on:** 23 April 2024
- **Where:** Defence speech in Warsaw
- **Deadline:** 31 December 2030
- **Cost a year:** Costs £11.3bn to £13.8bn a year (central £12.5bn by No 10, official)
- **Who it affects:** The armed forces and the UK's defence budget
- **When:** By 2030
- **Paid for by:** The speech says it will be "fully funded with no increase in borrowing or debt"; neither the speech nor the policy paper says from where
- **Quote source:** https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-defence-speech-in-warsaw-23-april-2024 (checked word for word at its source on 20 October 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 20 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-defence-25-2030

## 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.

## Timeline

- 23 April 2024, Promised: The Prime Minister pledges to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030
- 23 April 2024, In plan: The policy paper Defending Britain sets out spending rising each year to 2.5% of GDP in 2030 ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defending-britain))
- 11 June 2025, Funded: Spending 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 ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document/spending-review-2025-html))
- 31 December 2030, Deadline (to come): Defence spending due to reach 2.5% of GDP (editorial date, end of 2030)

## 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.

Costing sources:
- [Prime Minister's Office: Prime Minister's defence speech in Warsaw, 23 April 2024](https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-defence-speech-in-warsaw-23-april-2024)
- [Cabinet Office: Defending Britain, policy paper (23 Apr 2024)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defending-britain)

## Sources

- [Prime Minister's Office: Prime Minister's defence speech in Warsaw, 23 April 2024](https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-defence-speech-in-warsaw-23-april-2024)
- [Prime Minister's Office: PM announces 'turning point' in European security as UK set to increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030 (23 Apr 2024)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-announces-turning-point-in-european-security-as-uk-set-to-increase-defence-spending-to-25-by-2030)
- [Cabinet Office: Defending Britain, policy paper (23 Apr 2024)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defending-britain)
- [Spending Review 2025 (HM Treasury)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document/spending-review-2025-html)

## Checks

- Checked automatically by AI Journalist, not yet verified by an editor.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 20 October 2026.

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