The UK’s independent aid watchdog wants to hear from you – help shape our future work

4 Sep 2024

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) wants to hear your views on which areas of UK aid spend it should look at next, as it today (Wednesday 4 September) launches a consultation on its future work.

ICAI is responsible for examining the effectiveness and value for money of the UK’s aid spend. It publishes evidence-based reports which assess different aspects of the UK aid programme, to inform Parliament, government, development experts and the UK taxpayer.

Recent work includes reviews of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Afghanistan and Ukraine, and the Home Office’s use of UK aid to support refugees in the UK.

New ICAI Commissioners, Liz Ditchburn and Harold Freeman, began their terms in July 2024. The newly elected government committed in its manifesto to “working closely” with ICAI “to apply the highest standards to [UK] aid spend – bringing in robust measures of development effectiveness, transparency, and scrutiny”.

Under the leadership of its new Commissioners, the aid watchdog is taking the opportunity to reflect on its ways of working and look ahead to the future.

ICAI wants to hear your views on which areas of the UK aid programme are the highest priority for review. ICAI also wants to hear your thoughts on how it carries out and communicates about its work, so it can maximise its effectiveness and ensure Parliament and others can hold the government to account.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office manages most of the UK’s aid budget, but ICAI’s remit covers all government departments that spend aid. For example, ICAI recently reviewed the Department of Health and Social Care’s use of aid to fund global health research, and the Defra-led Blue Planet Fund which uses aid to protect the marine environment.

ICAI Commissioners, Liz Ditchburn and Harold Freeman, said:

“The Commission reviews how the UK spends its aid budget so we can make sure taxpayers’ money is being used in the most effective way in a rapidly changing world.

“We want your ideas and insights about where we should focus our efforts and how we can do our work better, whether you’re working in the development sector in the UK or overseas, or just have a strong interest in aid policy and want your voice to be heard”.

The online public consultation, which should take no more than 5 minutes to complete, runs until Wednesday 16 October 2024.