HM Treasury (Spending Review 2025)'s pledge

This is why, in February, the government announced that NATO qualifying defence spending will rise to 2.6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow.

Made under the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government, as GOV.UK labels it.

Made 2025-06-11 · Deadline 2027 · Where it was made · archived copy · Government publication

What the official figures show

NATO qualifying defence spending as a share of GDP, by 2027 (target)

2.6%

2026-10-23 · HM Treasury, Spending Review 2025 · receipt

UK defence spending as a share of GDP (NATO definition), 2023 (baseline)

2.25%

2026-10-23 · Ministry of Defence, International defence expenditure bulletin · receipt

UK defence spending as a share of GDP (NATO definition), 2024 (latest)

2.33%

2026-10-23 · Ministry of Defence, International defence expenditure bulletin · receipt

These figures are repeated from their sources and update automatically. We don't say whether the pledge has been kept.