The government says it wants to raise UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, but is yet to set out a timetable for meeting the pledge.

A “strategic” review of military spending is due in the spring, with three-year departmental spending plans then set out in June.

However, raising defence spending would pose a headache for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, whose self-imposed spending rules have become more difficult to hit amid worsening projections for the economy.

She has committed the government to balancing its day-to-day spending against tax revenues by 2030, a task that will become harder if official forecasters downgrade their predictions for growth.

Speaking on Thursday, Reeves did not offer further clues on when or how she would hit the 2.5% spending target, but reiterated she was “absolutely committed” to doing so.

Rishi Sunak pledged to hit the target by 2030 in the run-up to last year’s general election, to put the country’s defence industry “on a war footing”.

He suggested the extra spending could be paid for through plans to shrink the size of the Civil Service, something Labour suggested meant the plans were not properly funded.

Liz Truss pledged to hike defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, but never set out a detailed plan for doing so during her brief 49-day premiership.