United Kingdom

With expenditure of between US$750 million and US$1 billion in each of the last five years (between 9.3% and 13.3% of its official development assistance (ODA)), the United Kingdom is the second largest government provider of humanitarian aid after the United States (third after EU institutions). It has also been a leading influence in terms of humanitarian policy and delivery.

In response to an independent Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) in March 2011, the United Kingdom set out a policy framework to guide its own practice over the next four years as well as to help shape system-wide reform. Its commitments are based around the core principles of resilience, anticipation, leadership, innovation, accountability and partnership.

The United Kingdom has said that its funding for humanitarian emergencies will be:

• multilateral, through core predictable increased support for humanitarian partners, through mechanisms such as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and “new mechanisms” to support NGOs
• “where there is compelling and overwhelming need”, providing additional funding to the international system where it needs additional resources to save lives, including to governments and local civil society
• direct, where there is comparative advantage, or overwhelming public interest.

The United Kingdom reaffirmed its commitments to the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid and the UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182 on strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian assistance and the principles and practice of Good Humanitarian Donorship.

Key references

Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) , March 2011

Humanitarian Emergency, Response Review: UK Government Response, July 2011

DAC peer review, 2010

www.dfid.gov.uk