Institute of Development Studies

Despite considerable interest in the level and nature of public support for aid to developing countries, there has been relatively little academic research in this area. This paper reports analysis of survey data for the UK that explores the factors driving support for cuts in aid spending. Dominant factors are found to be beliefs in the moral imperative to help reduce poverty in developing countries versus the prioritisation of efforts to tackle poverty in the UK. Most demographic characteristics of respondents are insignificant. The results highlight the need to examine support for aid in the context of government spending more generally at particular points in time.