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As Andy Burnham takes office, Concern Worldwide warns of 5.1 million more deaths by 2030 if humanitarian aid isn’t reinstated
A largescale land painting by humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide calls on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to urgently restore humanitarian aid, which dropped to its lowest levels in over 25 years under Keir Starmer’s leadership.
The artwork shows a 4,000-square-metre image of Andy Burnham’s face alongside the words “5.1 million deaths by 2030. People can’t wait. Reinstate humanitarian aid now.”
In 2025, the Labour Party cut the overseas development assistance (ODA) budget by 40 percent, from 0.5 percent of gross national income down to 0.3 percent. It is the largest cut to aid among G7 countries, including the US.
Anushree Rao, Director of Advocacy and Institutional Relationships at Concern Worldwide (UK) said: “As Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has promised to put the care of people at the heart of his work. Two years ago, the Labour Party pledged to restore development spending to 0.7 per cent of gross national income, but instead made devastating cuts. With a new leader, now is the time to repair the UK’s reputation as a global leader in development, and ensure vulnerable people worldwide are not forgotten.”
Concern is already seeing the impact of aid cuts in countries like Sierra Leone, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Without funding, hospitals cannot purchase essential medicine, rural clinics lose trained staff, and emergency transport breaks down.
Saratu Olabode-Ojo, Director of Concern’s Saving Lives in Sierra Leone programme, said:
"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.”
Humanitarian needs are at a record high due to escalating levels of conflict, hunger and displacement. At the beginning of 2026, over 239 million people needed humanitarian support.
Aid cuts are making it increasingly difficult for organisations to respond.
Alessandro Bini, Concern's Deputy Director for the Horn of Africa, said:
“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.”
Research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health has found that due to sustained aid cuts, 5.1 million more people will die by 2030.
Concern works in 24 countries to end extreme poverty, working together with people living in the most difficult situations to bring about lasting change to lives, livelihoods and communities.
The artwork was commissioned by Concern and created by Yorkshire-based artists Sand In Your Eye.
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