UK Budget funds the Defence Investment Plan in full and adds over £10 billion for Ukraine

28 October 2026

The Budget 2026 document published by HM Treasury on GOV.UK sets out the Government's defence and security spending. It fully funds the Defence Investment Plan. It commits the United Kingdom to spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. It also provides over £10 billion in additional support to Ukraine. The Budget links higher debt interest costs to conflict in the Middle East, which it says adds about £14 billion a year on average to that bill compared with the March forecast. On the wider spending side, capital investment is up by £120 billion over the Parliament and day-to-day departmental spending is £40 billion higher each year by 2028-29, both measured against the previous government's plans.