Investors and construction firms now have access to a more comprehensive view of upcoming infrastructure developments across the UK, following the release of an updated UK Infrastructure Pipeline that outlines future projects and associated workforce requirements. For the first time, the government has included estimates of the skills and labour capacity needed to deliver £718 billion of private and public sector investment, offering the construction supply chain clearer guidance on future demand. The update responds to industry feedback and is designed to help contractors, suppliers and developers better plan investments in workforce skills, operational capacity and productivity as projects move toward procurement. The insights are intended to ensure firms are positioned to deliver projects that form a key component of the government’s Plan for Change.
A major addition in the updated UK Infrastructure Pipeline is the projection of workforce demand linked to planned infrastructure spending. According to the estimates, delivering the programme will require an annual average workforce of between 621,000 and 697,000 over the next two years, increasing to between 629,000 and 706,000 over the next five years. Construction roles account for more than two-thirds of the overall workforce requirement. Within the broader infrastructure programme, education and health infrastructure are expected to represent the largest contributors to labour demand, reflecting the scale of planned development in those sectors.
The Pipeline also signals a substantial expansion in the value of projects included in the government’s infrastructure planning framework. The £718 billion in capital investment over the next decade marks a notable increase compared with the Pipeline released in July 2025. Officials attribute part of this increase to the work of NISTA, which has secured new and updated data from a broader group of project sponsors, including several Mayoral Combined Authorities. Sectorally, energy continues to represent the largest portion of projected investment in the Pipeline, with approximately £365 billion earmarked for projects over the ten-year horizon.
Beyond the expanded dataset, the UK Infrastructure Pipeline has also undergone a redesign intended to strengthen its role as a strategic planning tool for infrastructure suppliers. The updated format introduces additional project metrics that provide greater transparency around potential investment opportunities, including information on the types of capital being sought, the scale of funding required, and the business models being used. These additions align with the government’s wider efforts to reduce barriers affecting UK competitiveness and to encourage stronger participation from private sector investors.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray said:
“As part of this latest version of the Infrastructure Pipeline, we’re also giving the construction sector the detailed picture it needs to invest in a highly skilled workforce that’s primed to build the hospitals, schools, railways, reservoirs and renewable energy plants this country needs.”
Since its initial publication in July 2025, the first iteration of the Infrastructure Pipeline has been positively received by businesses operating across the infrastructure ecosystem. Industry users have pointed to its value in long-term planning, noting that the availability of structured project data enables companies to make more confident, data-driven decisions when preparing for future infrastructure opportunities.
