People in G7 advanced nations believe that nearly one-fifth of their national budgets are spent on overseas development aid, according to a new survey — more than 20 times the actual figure.
The survey, commissioned by France as part of its G7 presidency and seen by the FT in advance of publication this week, shows that Americans on average think that 25.4 per cent of their national budget goes on overseas co-operation. The real figure in 2025, when US official development assistance (ODA) fell by more than half compared with 2024 to $29bn, was well below 1 per cent.
Even in Europe, where estimates were marginally more accurate, respondents overestimated aid by a factor of roughly 15. In France, those surveyed thought on average that 14.7 per cent of the national budget went on international co-operation, with the British believing it to be 15.2 per cent. The real figure in both cases for 2025 was about 1 per cent.