The UK government is weighing whether to accelerate its timeline for lifting defense spending to 3% of GDP, only a year after previously raising its target, BBC reported on Monday. In February 2025, Britain committed to boosting annual defense expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the parliament following the 2029 general election.

According to the BBC, advisers to Prime Minister Keir Starmer are now examining options to achieve the 3% level before the current parliamentary term ends. No final decision has been made, but there is acknowledgment that existing spending plans fall short of covering rising defense costs. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Starmer said Europe had united in providing weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, but stressed that "it is clear that we are going to have to spend more faster."

NATO's latest figures indicate that the UK allocated 2.3% of its GDP to defense in 2024. Facing high debt levels and pressure on public finances, the government cut its overseas aid budget last year to fund the move toward 2.5%, the report said. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated last year that raising defense spending to 3% of GDP would require an additional £17.3 billion in the 2029-2030 fiscal year.