UK humanitarian aid to Afghanistan 2021-23

This note provides a factual account of the UK’s aid response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan since August 2021.

  1. Status: Completed
  2. Published: 18 May 2023
  3. Type: Information note
  4. Subject: Country focus, Fragile states, Humanitarian assistance, Women and girls
  5. Assessment: Unrated
  6. Location: Afghanistan
  7. Lead commissioner: Sir Hugh Bayley

Our approach

In March 2022 the UK committed to providing £286 million in aid to Afghanistan per year for 2021-22 and 2022-23, making it the UK’s largest bilateral assistance programme. This note summarises whether and how that aid commitment has been spent.

As part of our evidence gathering, we reviewed programme documents provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partners it funds, and undertook interviews with staff from FCDO, UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations working in Afghanistan.

This information note is not evaluative and not scored, but we propose further lines of enquiry that may warrant consideration by the government, ICAI or other bodies.