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Who pays the price? Frontline perspectives on global aid cuts at the House of Lords
When governments cut aid budgets, it is often families and communities thousands of miles away who pay the price.
At our House of Lords event, Who pays the price? Frontline perspectives on global aid cuts, parliamentarians, humanitarian actors and supporters came together to hear directly from those witnessing the consequences of UK aid cuts every day, from maternity wards in Sierra Leone to communities affected by conflict in Sudan and across East Africa
Held on Wednesday 1 July and kindly sponsored by Baroness Goudie, the event formed part of Concern's wider Voice Your Concern campaign, which is calling on the UK government to reverse cuts to life-saving aid and protect the world’s most vulnerable people.
The message throughout the afternoon was clear: aid cuts are not simply budget decisions. They are decisions that determine whether people have access to healthcare, food and protection, and, in many cases, whether they live or die.
Bringing frontline voices to Parliament
Chaired by Concern UK’s Executive Director, Sayyeda Salam, the event brought together parliamentarians from across the political spectrum alongside donors, partners and supporters to hear first-hand about the impact of aid cuts from those working on the frontline.
I hope today's discussion will provide a catalyst for action, for us all to play our part and take action for the world's poorest communities. Our collective power and partnership can still pave the way to creating a fairer, more hopeful future for everyone.
Against a backdrop of growing humanitarian need, speakers highlighted the widening gap between increasing crises and shrinking resources. While needs continue to rise, reductions in UK aid are forcing impossible decisions about which essential services can continue and which cannot.
The discussion focused on the realities facing communities in Sierra Leone, Sudan and across East Africa, reminding those in the room that behind every funding decision are real people whose lives depend on access to life-saving support.
A matter of life and death in Sierra Leone
One of the most powerful moments of the event was the screening of A matter of life and death: giving birth in Sierra Leone, a moving film produced by On Our Radar and broadcast on Channel 4.
The film takes viewers inside a maternity ward in Sierra Leone, where healthcare workers are doing everything they can to save the lives of mothers and babies despite severe shortages caused by aid cuts.
It shows the devastating reality of hospitals struggling to provide even the most basic supplies. Essential anaesthetic agents and stitches used to close wounds after surgery, are no longer available, leaving healthcare professionals facing impossible choices. The film illustrates how funding decisions made thousands of miles away have life-or-death consequences for women and newborn babies.
The audience heard from Saratu Olabode-Ojo, Director of our Saving Lives Programme in Sierra Leone, who reflected on the impact these cuts are having on maternal healthcare, and the communities Concern works alongside.
Behind every funding decision are real people whose lives depend on the services being protected. For vulnerable women and children living in remote communities, the consequences of these decisions are not abstract. They are measured in delayed care, missed opportunities for treatment, preventable complications and, in some cases, lives that could otherwise have been saved.
The discussion served as a powerful reminder that investment in maternal health is not simply about improving services – it is about ensuring women have the chance to survive pregnancy and childbirth, and that babies have the opportunity to celebrate their first day of life.
The impact of aid cuts in Sudan
The event also heard from Alessandro Bini, Concern's Deputy Director for the Horn of Africa, who shared frontline perspectives on the worsening humanitarian situation in Sudan and across the wider region.
As conflict, displacement and hunger continue to drive humanitarian need, aid cuts are making it increasingly difficult for organisations to respond at the scale required. Communities already facing extraordinary challenges are being asked to cope with even less support.
I spent the last month in Darfur, visiting health and nutrition clinics. One of the hardest parts of that visit was having to tell staff at 27 clinics that Concern could no longer fund their work because of aid cuts. It was heartbreaking. Together, these clinics serve around 80,000 children under five years old, many in areas where the conflict is at its most intense. I wish I could tell you that other organisations are stepping in to take over this support. But this is not the case. When external support stops in such settings, especially in a context of sharply reduced funding, services do not gently “wind down”; they stop brutally.
His reflections reinforced the need for sustained investment in humanitarian assistance, particularly in protracted crises where needs continue to grow year after year.
Cross-party support for protecting life-saving aid
The event demonstrated encouraging cross-party support for protecting life-saving UK aid.
Speaking during the discussion, **Lord Jeremy Purvis of Tweed** reflected on the consequences of aid cuts and the importance of ensuring that the UK continues to play a leading role in addressing global humanitarian crises.
We are in a political and moral crisis on development, and we should recognise this. The UK is not just contributing to the decline in global aid, it is now the leading developed country contributing to the fall in net Official Development Assistance. This year has seen the largest drop ever, and UK contributions to official development assistance are now at their lowest level since official statistics began over 50 years ago.
Throughout the afternoon, there was a shared recognition that the public cares deeply about these issues and that political leaders must continue to hear directly from those affected by funding decisions.
Many parliamentarians and donors attending the event added their names to Concern's petition, demonstrating their support for reversing cuts to life-saving aid and helping to ensure these issues remain firmly on the political agenda.
Continuing to raise our voices
While the stories shared throughout the afternoon were deeply moving, they also demonstrated the determination of healthcare workers, communities and humanitarian organisations to continue delivering life-saving support under incredibly difficult circumstances.
The event reinforced the importance of ensuring that frontline voices remain at the heart of political conversations about aid. Hearing directly from those experiencing the consequences of funding decisions, alongside reflections from Concern Worldwide Ambassador Jane Corbin on the importance of keeping humanitarian crises in the public eye, makes clear what is at stake and why continued public engagement matters.
You can watch the On Our Radar film to learn more: A matter of life or death: giving birth in Sierra Leone. Please be aware that the film depicts infant loss.
