Almost half of Brits support cutting benefits in order to boost defence spending, a new poll has shown.
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poll → support → spending
A Savanta survey found 44 per cent are in favour of slashing welfare payments so that more cash can be given to the Armed Forces.
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cash → find → Forces
This compares to one third (34 per cent) who oppose squeezing benefits in order to increase the Ministry of Defence budget.
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who → compare → budget
Cutting welfare payments was one of five options for finding more money for defence that was given to voters in the poll.
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that → cut → poll
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) support a reduction in foreign aid spending, but there was little backing for more borrowing, higher taxes, or cuts to public services.
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thirds → support → services
Almost half (47 per cent) oppose an increase in government borrowing, while 64 per cent don't want taxes to rise to fund greater defence spending.
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taxes → oppose → spending
Meanwhile, 75 per cent don't want spending on public services such as the NHS, schools or police to be reduced.
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spending → want → NHS
The poll was conducted for the Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR) International ahead of Chancellor John Healey unveiling his first Budget next week.
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Healey → conduct → Budget
Support for cutting foreign aid reaches 81 per cent among those who voted Tory at the 2024 general election, and 85 per cent among Reform UK voters.
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who → cut → voters
Seven in 10 (70 per cent) of Tory voters also support welfare cuts to boost defence spending, while 64 per cent of Reform voters back a squeeze on benefits.
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cent → support → benefits
This compares with just 39 per cent of Labour voters wanting welfare spending to be cut in order to give more money to the Armed Forces.
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spending → compare → Forces
When asked separately whether they are personally willing to pay more tax to allow an increase in defence spending, 62 per cent of all voters are unwilling.
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cent → ask → voters
This compares to less than one third (30 per cent) who are willing to pay extra to HMRC so that more cash can go to the military.
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cash → compare → military
When asked about the level of tax they currently pay, 43 per cent think they pay too much tax, while the same proportion say they pay the right amount of tax.
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they → ask → tax
Only 2 per cent say they pay too little tax, while 12 per cent don't know.
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cent → say → tax
Mr Healey is set to detail how the Government will pay for a £4.7billion hole in current defence spending plans at next week's Budget.
But he is not expected to lay out a path to spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 - or 3.5 per cent by 2035 - despite him resigning as defence secretary from Keir Starmer's administration over the issue earlier this year.
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him → set → issue
Mr Healey is instead expected to wait to do so until a spending review next year.
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Healey → expect → review
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch this week branded a delay in setting out how defence funding will increase as 'unconscionable' amid the threat posed by Russia.
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funding → brand → Russia
If, at this Budget, he does not find the money to get to 3 per cent, John Healey has an awful lot of explaining to do,' she said.
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she → find → lot
John Healey said so himself, and no amount of political difficulty should prevent us from responding to that risk.'
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amount → say → risk
Mrs Badenoch set out Tory plans for more than £70billion in savings, including major cuts to welfare spending, in order to help fund an increase in the defence budget.
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Badenoch → set → budget
Ali Rehman Malik, chairman of IRR International, said: 'The Government faces clear limits on what the public is willing to accept to fund higher defence spending.
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public → say → spending
'Tax rises and cuts to essential public services meet strong opposition.
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rises → meet → opposition
'Support for cutting overseas aid deserves careful consideration.
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Support → cut → consideration
A defence budget can be strengthened on paper while the wider conditions that contribute to security are weakened elsewhere.
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that → strengthen → security
'Ministers must examine what particular programmes achieve, and whether their removal could affect regional stability, conflict prevention and Britain's longer-term interests.
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removal → examine → stability
Before treating the removal of one area of expenditure as an isolated saving, the Government must understand the consequences across the wider system.
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Government → treat → system
Any funding settlement should explain the trade-offs involved, consider whether costs might reappear elsewhere, and demonstrate how the decisions will strengthen the country's security.
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decisions → explain → security
National security requires more than military capability alone.
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security → require → capability
It also depends upon the resilience of our institutions, the economic security of our citizens and the international relationships through which Britain protects its interests.'
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Britain → depend → interests
Savanta polled 2,130 UK adults online between 16 and 19 October.
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Savanta → poll → October
The Aporia
