The United Kingdom’s aid volume was USD 11.5 billion in 2009, representing 0.52% of its gross national income (GNI). Its planned expenditures for 2010/11 put it on track to reach its target of 0.7% of GNI by 2013.

The United Kingdom plays a leading role in the international development community, actively engaging in key areas such as responding to climate change and the global economic crisis. Other donors see the United Kingdom’s efforts to reduce poverty as a model of good practice. The United Kingdom high level and sustained political engagement over the last decade has been instrumental in promoting the development agenda both domestically and internationally. Other key strengths of the United Kingdom as a donor include its clear focus on poverty reduction anchored in law, and a powerful institutional system with the Department for International Development (DFID) leading the aid programme in close collaboration with other government departments. Strong cross-government mechanisms help ensure that the United Kingdom’s domestic and international policies support – or at least do not undermine – the development aspirations of its partner countries, with good results in areas like climate change and trade.