The Aporia · 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

A Savanta survey commissioned by the Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR) International reveals that nearly half of Brits (44%) support cutting welfare benefits to increase defence spending. The poll also found that 63% of respondents are in favour of reducing foreign aid, while significant opposition exists for raising taxes or borrowing more money. Only a small percentage of voters are willing to pay higher taxes to fund increased military expenditure, with 62% unwilling and just 30% willing to do so.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-22, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

Story summary

As of October 22, 2026, a Savanta survey reveals that almost half of Brits (44%) support cutting welfare benefits to boost defence spending. In contrast, only one-third oppose this measure. Additionally, nearly two-thirds (63%) favor reducing foreign aid to fund the Armed Forces, with support particularly high among those who voted Tory in 2024. The survey found little backing for other funding methods such as borrowing or raising taxes, with 75% opposing cuts to public services like the NHS and schools. Chancellor John Healey is set to detail a £4.7 billion gap in defence spending at his upcoming Budget meeting but is unlikely to outline plans to reach the targeted 3% of GDP on defence by 2030 or 3.5% by 2035, issues that previously led to resignations from Keir Starmer's administration.

Written for “British Defence Spending Priorities” on 2026-10-22, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Why this leaning score

The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.

Almost half of Brits support cutting benefits in order to boost defence spending, a new poll has shown.

right Supports prioritizing military spending over welfare.
A Savanta survey found 44 per cent are in favour of slashing welfare payments so that more cash can be given to the Armed Forces.

right Uses strong language like 'slashing' to describe cutting benefits.
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) support a reduction in foreign aid spending, but there was little backing for more borrowing, higher taxes, or cuts to public services.

right Highlights preference for reducing foreign aid over other funding methods.
Seven in 10 (70 per cent) of Tory voters also support welfare cuts to boost defence spending, while 64 per cent of Reform voters back a squeeze on benefits.

right Emphasizes political alignment with right-wing policies.

Reading Leans right (beta estimate) Confidence high

Leaning: leans right for article 99091 (high confidence, 4 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-22

📰 British Defence Spending Priorities

Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

This article reads leans right and hedges 6% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

'The French correction' and 'Labour cuts £2bn from Army' different event · 95%

BBC News

⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 no claims extracted 📰 publisher trust 69

“Article A reports on political decisions or statements regarding defense and army cuts, while Article B discusses public opinion polls on funding defense through cutting benefits and foreign aid.”

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Greg Heffer

58 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 When asked separately whether they are personally willing to pay more tax to allow an increase in defence spending, 62 per cent of all voters are unwilling.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · 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

🔮 Britain's benefits bill is set to soar by £5.5billion next year - significantly more than forecast - as Andy Burnham rejects 'crude' cuts to welfare spending.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Benefits spending 'to soar by £5.5bn next year' as Burnham rejects 'crude' cuts to welfare bill

🔮 Britain's public services will still be worse than before the Covid crisis by 2030 despite Labour's huge spending splurge, according to a damning new report.

2026-10-21 · mixed framing · Public services 'to be worse than before Covid by 2030' despite Labour's huge spending splurge

🔮 Britain's benefits bill is expected to continue rising into the 2030s after Andy Burnham pledged not to make 'crude' cuts to bring down welfare spending.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Benefits bill 'to keep rising into 2030s' after Burnham dismissed calls for cuts

🔮 Andy Burnham will push an anti-discrimination law through the Commons in a single day today to allow the Catholic Prime Minister to advise the King on appointing Church of England bishops.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Nothing better to do, Andy? Catholic PM Burnham rushing through 'anti-discrimination' law in a day so he can advise King on Church of England bishops

🔮 'In order for these matters to be looked into, I have voluntarily referred myself to the Labour Party's investigations process and will cooperate fully with this process.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Second Labour MP suspended amid questions over taxpayer-funded Covid business loans

🔮 But any additional amount payable for the second spouse is likely to be less than the amount they could get were they to make a separate claim as a single person.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Tories demand Government supports new laws to ban polygamous marriages from the welfare system so taxpayers are no longer 'bundling cash to men with multiple wives'

🔮 Under the proposal, the Government could continue to increase its share in the firm if further fines are levied.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Andy Burnham pleads for 'more radical' options for crisis-stricken Thames Water after reality hits for PM's nationalisation vow

🔮 The reversal in Labour's fortunes since Mr Burnham ousted Keir Starmer as Prime Minister has sparked speculation he could go for a snap general election.

2026-10-20 · mixed framing · Labour's 'Burnham bounce' continues as party surges to clear lead in poll - while Tories stay ahead of Reform

🔮 Tory shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie despaired at how the UK was having to go 'cap in hand' to import energy when it could be 'much more self-sufficient'.

2026-10-19 · mixed framing · Britain 'faces relying on EU to keep the lights on this winter' as power imports soar

Also by Greg Heffer

Benefits spending 'to soar by £5.5bn next year' as Burnham rejects 'crude' cuts to welfare bill

2026-10-22 · Daily Mail

Public services 'to be worse than before Covid by 2030' despite Labour's huge spending splurge

2026-10-21 · Daily Mail

Nothing better to do, Andy? Catholic PM Burnham rushing through 'anti-discrimination' law in a day so he can advise King on Church of England bishops

2026-10-21 · Daily Mail

Benefits bill 'to keep rising into 2030s' after Burnham dismissed calls for cuts

2026-10-21 · Daily Mail

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 58 articles by Greg Heffer →

Almost half of Brits support cutting benefits in order to boost defence spending, a new poll has shown. asserted

poll → support → spending

A Savanta survey found 44 per cent are in favour of slashing welfare payments so that more cash can be given to the Armed Forces. asserted

cash → find → Forces

This compares to one third (34 per cent) who oppose squeezing benefits in order to increase the Ministry of Defence budget. asserted

who → compare → budget

Cutting welfare payments was one of five options for finding more money for defence that was given to voters in the poll. asserted

that → cut → poll

Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) support a reduction in foreign aid spending, but there was little backing for more borrowing, higher taxes, or cuts to public services. asserted

thirds → support → services

Almost half (47 per cent) oppose an increase in government borrowing, while 64 per cent don't want taxes to rise to fund greater defence spending. asserted

taxes → oppose → spending

Meanwhile, 75 per cent don't want spending on public services such as the NHS, schools or police to be reduced. asserted

spending → want → NHS

The poll was conducted for the Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR) International ahead of Chancellor John Healey unveiling his first Budget next week. asserted

Healey → conduct → Budget

Support for cutting foreign aid reaches 81 per cent among those who voted Tory at the 2024 general election, and 85 per cent among Reform UK voters. asserted

who → cut → voters

Seven in 10 (70 per cent) of Tory voters also support welfare cuts to boost defence spending, while 64 per cent of Reform voters back a squeeze on benefits. asserted

cent → support → benefits

This compares with just 39 per cent of Labour voters wanting welfare spending to be cut in order to give more money to the Armed Forces. asserted

spending → compare → Forces

When asked separately whether they are personally willing to pay more tax to allow an increase in defence spending, 62 per cent of all voters are unwilling. asserted

cent → ask → voters

This compares to less than one third (30 per cent) who are willing to pay extra to HMRC so that more cash can go to the military. asserted

cash → compare → military

When asked about the level of tax they currently pay, 43 per cent think they pay too much tax, while the same proportion say they pay the right amount of tax. asserted

they → ask → tax

Only 2 per cent say they pay too little tax, while 12 per cent don't know. asserted

cent → say → tax

Mr Healey is set to detail how the Government will pay for a £4.7billion hole in current defence spending plans at next week's Budget. But he is not expected to lay out a path to spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 - or 3.5 per cent by 2035 - despite him resigning as defence secretary from Keir Starmer's administration over the issue earlier this year. asserted

him → set → issue

Mr Healey is instead expected to wait to do so until a spending review next year. asserted

Healey → expect → review

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch this week branded a delay in setting out how defence funding will increase as 'unconscionable' amid the threat posed by Russia. ' asserted

funding → brand → Russia

If, at this Budget, he does not find the money to get to 3 per cent, John Healey has an awful lot of explaining to do,' she said. asserted

she → find → lot

John Healey said so himself, and no amount of political difficulty should prevent us from responding to that risk.' asserted

amount → say → risk

Mrs Badenoch set out Tory plans for more than £70billion in savings, including major cuts to welfare spending, in order to help fund an increase in the defence budget. asserted

Badenoch → set → budget

Ali Rehman Malik, chairman of IRR International, said: 'The Government faces clear limits on what the public is willing to accept to fund higher defence spending. asserted

public → say → spending

'Tax rises and cuts to essential public services meet strong opposition. asserted

rises → meet → opposition

'Support for cutting overseas aid deserves careful consideration. asserted

Support → cut → consideration

A defence budget can be strengthened on paper while the wider conditions that contribute to security are weakened elsewhere. asserted

that → strengthen → security

'Ministers must examine what particular programmes achieve, and whether their removal could affect regional stability, conflict prevention and Britain's longer-term interests. uncertain

removal → examine → stability

Before treating the removal of one area of expenditure as an isolated saving, the Government must understand the consequences across the wider system. asserted

Government → treat → system

Any funding settlement should explain the trade-offs involved, consider whether costs might reappear elsewhere, and demonstrate how the decisions will strengthen the country's security. ' uncertain

decisions → explain → security

National security requires more than military capability alone. asserted

security → require → capability

It also depends upon the resilience of our institutions, the economic security of our citizens and the international relationships through which Britain protects its interests.' asserted

Britain → depend → interests

Savanta polled 2,130 UK adults online between 16 and 19 October. asserted

Savanta → poll → October

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

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