Poll finds 44% back welfare cuts and 63% foreign aid cuts for defence
A Savanta poll found that 44 per cent of people support cutting welfare payments to increase defence spending, while 34 per cent oppose it. The findings come ahead of Chancellor John Healey’s Budget, as the Government faces a £4.7 billion shortfall in current defence plans and pressure to explain how it will fund future increases.
Foreign aid cuts were the most popular option, backed by 63 per cent; support rose to 81 per cent among 2024 Conservative voters and 85 per cent among Reform UK voters. By contrast, 47 per cent oppose more borrowing, 64 per cent reject tax rises and 75 per cent oppose cuts to public services. Separately, 62 per cent said they would be unwilling to pay more tax for defence, while 30 per cent would be willing.
In short
- 44 per cent back welfare cuts to fund defence.
- 63 per cent support reducing foreign aid.
- Most oppose tax rises, extra borrowing or public service cuts.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Almost half of Brits support cutting benefits to boost defence spending while nearly two-thirds say foreign aid should be axed to fund Armed Forces”.