UK Industry Fast Facts

IBISWorld presents a collection of fast facts for the different sectors of the UK economy.

Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing

• On 2 September 2025, the UK government announced £12.6 million worth of funding dedicated to fostering innovation in the farming sector. This fund will focus on advanced technologies like robotic harvesters and livestock health tracking systems. This will be achieved through two competitions under the Farming Innovation Programme. The primary objective is to enhance productivity, sustainability and efficiency in the agricultural sector, aiming to address the several challenges the sector confronts, including labour shortages.

• AHDB data suggests that British farms are bracing themselves for yet another year of poor harvests. The agricultural sector is caught up amid several challenges, including persistent dry weather spells, low wholesale prices and dwindling government support since Brexit. This season, AHDB anticipates the UK wheat yield to be at 7.3 tonnes per hectare, a rate that's 9% less than the decade's average yield. The excessive drought conditions over the recent weeks have crippled farmers’ food production ability.

• British farmers have warned that a surge of Australian steak imports is undercutting domestic beef production in the UK. The National Farmers’ Union and National Beef Association told the Financial Times in August 2025 that high-value Australian cuts are flooding the UK beef market, putting local producers at a disadvantage. Data from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry shows that Australia exported 6,503 tonnes of beef to the UK in the first five months of 2025, already surpassing the total for all of 2024. This pressure is squeezing domestic producers and sparking a crisis of confidence within the industry, with growing calls to review the current government policy that gives Australia access to a duty-free quota of 35,000 tonnes under the 2023 agreement.

• UK dairy exports surged in the first half of 2025, owing to strong demand from Europe. Data from the AHDB shows that UK dairy exports hit £1.1 billion in the year to June 2025, representing a 20% climb on the same period last year. AHDB data also shows that total UK export volume for Q2 2025 rose by 9.8% year-on-year, driven by exports of cheese, milk and cream, powders and whey and whey products. Changing consumer tastes and trends like growing protein intake have played a key role, with exports of powders and whey and whey products expanding 31.1% year-on-year.

• Over 50 dairy farms across the UK have been appointed to join the newly launched UK Dairy Carbon network. Led by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and funded by DEFRA, the project brings together top research institutions and industry organisations to work with farms to reduce emissions while improving farming efficiency. Work is underway to collect the carbon footprints of each participating farm, which will guide efforts to cut greenhouse gases throughout the three-year project.

• Calls are growing for urgent action after British farming is on track for one of its deadliest years in a decade. Data from the Health and Safety Executive show that the number of farm-related deaths in the UK has risen to 17 since 1 April 2025. Industry bodies are calling for immediate improvements in safety attitudes and greater focus on training, regulation and cultural change after the tragedies.

• The EU has warned the UK it must meet its commitment to check goods entering Northern Ireland before talks can begin on an agrifood trade deal. The agreement, expected by 2027, aims to establish a veterinary or sanitary and phytosanitary agreement to boost agrifood trade between the partners. Any proposed deal aims to reduce costs and paperwork for farmers exporting meat, dairy, eggs and plants to the EU, where UK agrifood exports have fallen since Brexit. Delays risk prolonging uncertainty and keeping trade barriers in place for producers across Great Britain, supplying Northern Ireland and EU markets.

• The UK is grappling with steep food price rises, partly driven by agricultural pressures. ONS data shows the annual rate of food and non-alcoholic drink inflation reached 5.1% in the year to August 2025, up 38% compared with January 2021. An article in the Financial Times from October reports that meat and dairy producers are “sounding the alarm” over rising labour costs and weak production, which are limiting their ability to expand, tightening supply and driving prices higher. Among the hardest hit were beef, which rose 25% year-over-year in August and butter, up 19%.

Mining

• The Office for National Statistics reports that the mining and quarrying sector output dropped by 2% in July 2025. Output from the sector dipped by 1.8% in the three months to July 2025.
• World Bank Commodities Price Data released in October 2025 shows that Brent crude oil and WTI crude oil prices have been steadily falling since Q3 2024, with quarterly average prices dropping in all quarters up to Q2 2025. Prices have climbed slightly in Q3 2025 amid subdued demand and production hikes have contributed to this.
• World Bank Commodities Price Data released in October 2025 shows that, in September 2025, metals and minerals posted a climb. Most metals, except nickel, recorded higher quarterly average prices in Q3 2025 against Q2 2025, while only lead and nickel were at higher prices in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2025. Precious metal prices have climbed and remained high by historical averages in September 2025, with gold continuing to climb to record levels, amid heightened global economic uncertainty, escalating geopolitical conflict tensions and US tariff concerns.
• A new report by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), published in September 2025, reveals that the North Sea oil and gas industry has achieved a 35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2018 and 2024, exceeding the 25% target outlined in the North Sea Transition Deal for 2027. The report also shows a 78% reduction in overall volumes of reported unintentional oil and chemical releases between 2018 and 2024.
• POLITICO reports that the UK is closing in on a deal with Greenland on critical minerals, with the latter having significant reserves of rare earth minerals that could be critical to supply chains.
• Oil and gas company Serica Energy has agreed to acquire assets in the UK North Sea from Prax Group, which fell into administration in June 2025.
• According to The Telegraph, analysts estimate that the North Sea “has three times more oil and gas” than the government has suggested. This would be enough to cover the UK’s entire fossil fuel demand during the net-zero shift.
• UK Oil and Gas plc is increasingly shifting focus from petroleum exploration to hydrogen storage, as it advances hydrogen storage facility projects in South Dorset and East Yorkshire.

Manufacturing

• The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) dropped to 46.2 in September 2025, down from 47 the previous month, marking the 12th consecutive month of contraction in manufacturing output in the UK. The decline marks the sharpest fall in manufacturing output since March, as new orders weakened on the back of softening domestic demand and a slump in overseas sales, weighed down by tariff uncertainty and supply chain disruption. Job cuts have been reported for a solid 12-month streak, causing factory headcounts to plunge drastically since the pandemic's onset. Manufacturers’ sentiment weakened further amid worries over potential tax and regulatory changes in the upcoming Budget in November.

• The luxury car manufacturer Lotus plans to cut 550 jobs in the UK, despite a previous commitment to continue production at its Hethel plant in Norfolk. This decision, which would result in a 40% reduction of its 1,300-strong UK workforce, is in response to ongoing struggles. The group, which is controlled by Chinese carmaker Geely, has been grappling with declining sales and cashflow issues.

• Car manufacturers must meet a government mandate requiring 28% of sales to be electric vehicles (EVs) by the end of 2025, with a £15,000 fine per non-compliant car. In July 2025, electric car sales saw a 9.1% lift annually, with 29,825 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) registered in the month of July, representing a 21.3% market share, as reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.  

• On 21 August 2025, the government declared it would take control of a significant portion of Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty Steel business. This decision comes after one of the UK's largest steelworkers was declared bankrupt in London's High Court. This move aims to safeguard the jobs of 1,450 employees.

• UK cement production has dropped to its lowest level since 1950. The Mineral Products Association (MPA) reports that the UK produced just 7.3 million tonnes of cement in 2024, about half the output seen in 1990. The decline in output comes amid rising costs and changing carbon taxation, which has reduced market competitiveness and seen imports grow. Dr Diana Casey, executive director at the MPA, warns that this trend threatens to derail the government's ambitious housebuilding targets.

• On September 12, AstraZeneca announced it was pausing a planned £200 million investment in its Cambridge research site, which would have created around 1,000 new jobs. This comes after the company scaled back plans in January to invest up to £450 million in its vaccine manufacturing plant, citing reduced government support. The decision follows AstraZeneca’s announcement in July 2025 to expand its manufacturing and research facilities in the US, as the current tariff environment is making investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing in the UK less attractive.

• The cyber-attack that struck JLR in late August halted production from 31 August, with the ongoing suspension weighing heavily on manufacturing output. SMMT data show vehicle production fell 18.2% year-on-year in August 2025, with the shutdown exacerbating the decline. The government pledged a £1.5 billion loan guarantee to support JLR and its supply chain, with the company beginning a phased restarting of some UK manufacturing operations on 7 October 2025, following a near six-week shutdown.

• On 29 September 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to classify shipbuilding as critical national infrastructure. The move follows an August agreement for Norway to procure UK-built Type 26 frigates from BAE Systems in Glasgow, a deal worth £10 billion to the UK economy. The contract is set to deliver a major boost for manufacturing, supporting more than 4,000 jobs and benefitting hundreds of British businesses across the supply chain.

• The UK steel industry faces renewed pressure as the EU moves to halve its quota for tariff-free steel imports and impose 50% tariffs on any volumes above that limit. The move follows concerns that the European market could be flooded with cheaper steel redirected after the US imposed tariffs earlier this year. The EU remains the UK’s most important export market, with data from UK Steel showing that the bloc accounted for 78% of steel exports in 2024, posing fresh challenges for British producers. The blow comes just weeks after a proposed deal to remove US tariffs on UK steel was put on hold indefinitely in September, adding to uncertainty.

• Chinese wind turbine maker Ming Yang Smart Energy announced plans to invest up to US$2 billion (£1.5 billion) in Scotland to produce key components for offshore wind projects, including turbine blades, nacelles and floating platforms. The move, subject to approval from the UK Government, is poised to create up to 1,500 jobs and could be in production by 2028.

Utilities

• The energy price cap set by Ofgem increased by 2% for the period from October to December 2025, reducing the annual cost from £1,849 to £1,720 for a typical household. The rise reflects mounting network charges and inflationary pressures, with households set to feel the pinch this winter as steeper tariffs collide with heavier seasonal energy use.

• The government's National Wealth Fund is set to provide funding for the development of the Sizewell C nuclear power station, offering £36.6 billion in loans through money raised in the gilts market. Banks supported by France's export credit agency will also contribute a further £5 billion in debt, while the UK government will provide £3.8 billion in equity. Moreover, households will contribute to the project, which is expected to become operational by 2035, with a construction-phase surcharge estimated to be approximately £1 per month.

• The UK government has announced that the debt-funded Sizewell C power station project in Suffolk is projected to cost approximately £38 billion in 2024 prices. However, according to the Financial Times, the actual cost could be significantly higher when financing expenses are taken into account, potentially exceeding official government estimates by tens of billions of pounds.

• On 15 September, the UK and US announced plans to partner on developing nuclear power through the new Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy. The agreement comes just days before US President Donald Trump’s state visit, when the deal is expected to be formally signed. Britain stands to gain thousands of new jobs and a boost to its energy security, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer describing the partnership as the start of a “golden age of nuclear” for both nations.

• In September, Centrica announced plans to step up its commitment to nuclear power as part of a £10 billion initiative to build the UK’s first advanced modular reactors in north-east England, in partnership with US firm X-energy. This agreement is one of several between British and American companies following the launch of the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy. Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea told the BBC he expects the nuclear expansion to deliver stable energy prices for UK consumers in the long term.

• Thames Water creditors have pledged further investment to secure a rescue deal and prevent nationalisation. On Wednesday 3rd September, the creditor group including US hedge funds Elliott Management and Solus Point Capital submitted plans to Ofwat to “invest in, upgrade and turn around Thames Water’s operations”. Creditors are already supporting the company with a £3 billion loan as they work to take formal control after private equity firm KKR walked away from a deal in June.

• In October 2025, the CMA approved plans for Anglian, Northumbrian, Southern, South East and Wessex Water to raise bills by an additional 3%, totalling about £556 million over the next five years – a move that will push up costs for millions of households. This follows an average 24% climb permitted under Ofwat’s December ruling.

• Audits commissioned by Ofgem on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have uncovered “unacceptably poor” work under the UK government’s flagship energy efficiency programme. Since 2022, 98% of external wall insulation installations and 29% of internal wall insulation fitted under the Energy Company Obligation scheme require corrective work, with many homes affected by damp and mould. The findings deal a significant blow to the UK’s energy efficiency agenda, undermining confidence in retrofit schemes and threatening to slow progress toward net-zero goals.

• Britain’s domestic gas supply is set to shrink this winter, expanding reliance on imports. National Gas expects output from UK offshore fields to fall by around 6% this winter compared with last, as production from the North Sea basin continues to sink and environmental limits curb new exploration. Norway is expected to fill much of the shortfall, supplying an estimated 36% of Britain’s total gas over the upcoming period.

Construction

• The latest S&P Global release shows that the UK Construction PMI rose to 46.2 in September, up from 45.5 in August and marking a three-month high. Although still below the 50 threshold that signals expansion, the data indicates a slower pace of contraction, supported by a milder decline in new work and residential activity. Order books fell for the ninth consecutive month but at the weakest rate in that period, as companies pointed to subdued demand, continued client caution and uncertainty ahead of the upcoming Budget.

• The government faces the pressing challenge of meeting its ambitious target of constructing 1.5 million homes by 2029. This goal requires increasing annual planning permissions in England by over 50%. In response, the government has introduced a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill to expedite the construction of homes and essential infrastructure development. However, a recent study by City and Guilds highlights a significant obstacle: a chronic shortage of skilled workers. The research shows that 76% of construction businesses are struggling to recruit qualified labour, casting doubt on the feasibility of reaching the target.

• The Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, announced in September 2025, is set to spark a flurry of activity in the UK construction sector. A collaboration between Holtec International, EDF Energy and investor Tritax will develop small modular reactors to power advanced data centres at the former Cottam coal-fired station. Holtec values the scheme at £11 billion and says it could create thousands of construction and operations jobs.

• A report published by the Home Builders Federation in September warns the government that housebuilding in London is on the brink of collapse. The report highlights that a lack of buyer support, excessive bureaucracy and significant planning delays are "strangling" attempts to deliver new homes in the capital. This follows data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government that shows decided planning applications in England dropped 2% year-on-year from January to March 2025, highlighting ongoing weakness.

• The UK government has signed contracts to kick off the construction of two carbon capture and storage projects – at Heidelberg Materials’ cement works and at Encyclis’ waste-to-energy facility. Construction is expected to start in late 2025 and support around 500 jobs.

• In October 2025, ministers took control of the £10 billion Lower Thames Crossing, removing oversight from National Highways and placing the project directly under the Department for Transport. The move aims to regain control over spiralling costs and timelines, signalling tighter central oversight of major infrastructure delivery.

Wholesale Trade

• According to the Office for National Statistics, output in the wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles fell by 1.4% in July 2025, the largest negative contribution to output in consumer-facing services. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles was down 1.3% in the three months to July 2025.

• Co-op Wholesale has secured a five-year contract extension to supply all Ascona forecourts across the UK. This is an extension to an agreement that began in 2020, with the wholesalers to supply all 62 forecourts with grocery products, including Co-op's own-label items. In October 2025, The Grocer reported that Co-op Wholesale has further expanded its presence in the forecourt market by signing a multi-year agreement with Tankerford to become its primary supply partner for its 11 forecourt convenience stores.

• Regal Wholesale has entered a partnership with Diversey Pro Formula, a cleaning and hygiene company, to expand its hygiene products range in the UK amid growing demand for high-quality cleaning products.

• SOS Wholesale, one of the UK’s largest discount wholesalers, filed for administration in September 2025 amid severe cost pressures and shifting consumer spending habits.

• Weight-loss drug maker Eli Lilly has suspended sales of Mounjaro to UK wholesalers amid stockpiling activity by users. This follows an announcement that the weight-loss drug’s price in the UK will be hiked by 170% from September 2025, as reported by The Independent.

• Leading wholesale group Sugro UK has an agreement with carbon data and reporting platform My Emissions Ltd to deliver carbon emissions reporting to its wholesalers.

Retail Trade

• UK retail is seeing a slight contraction in shopper traffic as consumers rein in spending ahead of the Autumn Budget. The BRC-Sensormatic data show total footfall fell by 1.8% year-on-year in September, with high streets hardest hit at -2.5%, shopping centres -2% and retail parks better holding up at -0.8%. This trend reflects weakening consumer confidence amid cost pressures, tax uncertainty and macro volatility – factors that discourage discretionary in-store trips. For the retail sector, this means tighter margins, more competition for footfall and greater pressure to invest in omnichannel, experience and value propositions. Persistent declines in traffic may especially squeeze high street and shopping centre operators unless incentives or reliefs (e.g. on business rates) ease the burden.

• ASOS has launched ASOS Live, a creator-led video shopping feature on its mobile app that blends live and on-demand video content with instant commerce. Customers can watch styling tips, beauty tutorials and trend edits and purchase products directly within the video interface. The pilot showed high engagement: “hundreds of thousands” of views, longer time on site, better conversion and 94 % of views being replayed. This move signals the intensifying convergence of content, social media and e-commerce in fashion retail.

• The BRC warns that the new “Extended Producer Responsibility” packaging tax, effective October 2025, is likely to result in over 80% of its cost being passed to consumers. It may add about 0.5 percentage points to food inflation. Retailers also report that 85% are facing significantly greater administrative burden. This tax arrives amid earlier budget-driven increases (£5 billion extra employment costs), leaving retailers with little capacity to absorb cost pressures. The result: margins squeezed, prices up, compliance load heavier.

• The BRC reports in September 2025, shop price inflation rose to 1.4 % year-on-year, from 0.9 % in August, surpassing the three-month average of 1%. Non-food inflation shifted from -0.8 % in August to -0.1 % in September, indicating deflation is easing. Food inflation held at 4.2 % year-on-year. Retailers cite rising input costs, labour and energy pressures and impending packaging taxes as drivers pushing prices higher, resulting in margin compression, intensified competition on promotions and increasing pressure on consumer spending.

• The BRC reports UK consumer confidence weakened in September, with expectations for the economy over the next three months falling to −36 (from −32) and views of personal finances slipping to −7 (from −6). Overall spending expectations dropped to +14 (from +16), while saving sentiment fell to 0 (from +2). Although retail spending expectations edged up to +5, high food inflation, which is expected to reach 6% by year end, continues to squeeze budgets. For the retail sector, this signals weaker discretionary demand, heightened pressure on margins and a shift towards essential goods, forcing retailers to carefully manage stock, pricing and promotional strategies.

• According to the latest report by the ONS, there were 2.73 million jobs in retail in June 2025, 97,000 fewer than the same point in 2024 and 393,000 fewer than in 2025. The steady loss of retail jobs – both full-time and part-time – signals serious structural pressures in the sector. Rising labour costs are squeezing profit, potentially forcing retailers to cut back hiring or shift towards more automation. Local, flexible jobs are being eroded, which could worsen unemployment or under-employment in retail-heavy regions. If further cost increases emerge from new legislation or tax burdens (as flagged in the Employment Rights Bill), the decline may accelerate. For consumers, this could mean reduced service levels, fewer store staff, or more store closures, especially in less profitable or thin-margin segments.

• Retailers are concerned that while the Bill rightly targets unfair employment practices, its current form risks penalising responsible businesses and diminishing the part-time or flexible roles that are vital in retail (for parents, carers, or those returning to work). If job losses occur and flexibility is curtailed, this could reduce labour supply in a sector already under pressure to recruit, especially for entry level, part time or less formal roles.

• The government has voted down amendments proposed by the House of Lords to the Employment Rights Bill, which the BRC says would have “maintained protections for workers while removing some of the risk of the Bill backfiring”. Around half of the 3 million people working in retail are part-time.  According to a BRC survey, 52% of retail HR Directors believe the Bill will result in job losses and 61% think it will reduce the flexibility of available roles. The Office for Budget Responsibility warns the Bill is likely to have “material and probably net negative, economic impacts on employment, prices and productivity”.

Transportation & Warehousing

• According to the latest official data from the Office of Rail and Road, rail fares across Great Britain have increased by 5.1% in 2025. This rise significantly outpaces the RPI, which increased by 3.2% between March 2024 and March 2025. Notably, cheaper advance fares have surged at nearly twice the rate of inflation.

• A new pay-as-you-go rail ticketing system that monitors the location of passengers throughout their journey is set to be implemented on a trial basis in England. This initiative is part of a government effort to simplify the complex fare structure of the country's railway network. The pilot will first roll out on routes in the East Midlands, where travellers can check in for their journey using a mobile app that employs satellite technology to track their location. At day's end, passengers will be automatically charged the lowest applicable fare for their travel. If successful, the Department for Transport says this new system will replace traditional paper and mobile tickets that use QR codes, boosting efficiency in rail travel.

• A major strike by Rail, Maritime and Transport members shut down almost all London Underground services between September 7th and 11th. An analysis from the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates the cost of the strike to total £230 million, following the hit to productivity, loss of spending and further supply chain disruption.

• The government has announced plans to simplify the installation process for EV charging points by eliminating the need for drivers to submit planning applications. This change is expected to save EV drivers up to £1,100 annually and reduce barriers to increasing the number of EVs on UK roads. In addition, in July, the government unveiled a £63 million funding package aimed at enhancing electric vehicle infrastructure. This initiative will support at-home charging solutions for households without driveways, facilitate the transition of NHS vehicle fleets to save millions for the health service in England and install thousands of charge points at business depots across the UK. One example is Somerset Council, which was awarded nearly £4 million in September for the installation of electric vehicle chargers across the county.

• The government has approved the expansion project for London Luton Airport, but the decision regarding Gatwick Airport's second runway is still pending. Although the Transport Secretary has indicated a ‘minded to approve’ stance, further engagement with Gatwick is required to address specific concerns. These include setting stronger targets for public transport access and expediting the implementation of a noise mitigation scheme. The final decision on Gatwick's second runway is anticipated by October 2025.

• Transport for London is preparing to release detailed proposals to strengthen the regulation of London’s pedicabs. The plans, following an initial consultation held in June, include regulated fares, enhanced criminal record checks and annual vehicle inspections.

• Heathrow Airport recorded its busiest ever month in August 2025, welcoming over eight million passengers for the first time in its history. That same month, the airport submitted plans to build a third full-length runway at a total cost of around £49 billion, which would become operational by around 2035.

• Coastal communities across the UK are set to benefit from over £1.1 billion in investment for the maritime sector. Announced on the first day of London International Shipping Week on 15 September 2025, the funding includes £700 million in private investment and £448 million in public funding. This investment will support the research and development of new clean maritime technologies and fuels to help reduce carbon emissions from shipping.

Accommodation & Food Services

• ONS data reports that output in accommodation and food beverage service activities climbed by 1.7% and 0.6%, respectively, in the three months to July 2025, the largest positive contributions to consumer-facing services output over the period. Nonetheless, accommodation and food service activities output fell by 0.01 percentage points in July 2025.
• In a recent update, the trade body UKHospitality claims that job losses in the sector could reach the 111,000 mark by the time of the next budget at the end of November 2025, calling for the government to take steps to reverse the damage to the sector.
• According to the British Beer and Pub Association, about 226 pubs could close in the East Midlands next year without government action to address the severe costs faced by establishments.
• A report by Zonal, in partnership with CGA by NIQ and UKHospitality, has found that 68% of British consumers say hospitality plays an important role in their communities, while 74% agree the industry needs and deserves greater support from the government.
• Burger chain Honest Burgers has moved to acquired 12 Gourmet Burger Kitchen sites across the UK, which is part of the chain’s 2030 expansion strategy.
• BrewDog’s chief executive, James Taylor, claims that the British brewing and pub sector has endured a cost hike of over £1 billion over the past year, with businesses facing soaring energy, labour and input prices on top of higher taxes.
• The Guardian reports that hospitality venues, including pubs, bars and restaurants, will be able to stay open until early hours amid a push for economic growth by the Labour government.
• As part of its expansion drive, Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant group is planning to launch a new Bread Street Kitchen in the City of London in H1 2026, creating about 150 jobs.
• After launching its first contactless hotel in July 2025, Travelodge now seeks to expand this self-service practice to more hotels across the UK, allowing guests to avoid any face-to-face contact with staff. Guests can check in and receive digital room keys through a mobile app.
• Real estate firm Savills reports that UK hotel investment totalled £1.04 billion in Q3 2025, up 28% year-on-year. This hike was largely driven by single asset transactions, which accounted for 92% of activity and climbed nearly 60% above the 10-year Q3 average, despite overall investment remaining 5% below long-term trends. London was the leader in terms of investment, with volumes reaching £697 million, a 42% hike year-on-year. Meanwhile, domestic owner-operators have dominated UK hotel acquisitions in 2025 to date, accounting for 45% of volumes, totalling £1.2 billion. This is up 4% year-on-year and marks a 77% increase against the 10-year average.
• According to RSM Hotels Tracker, based on data by Hotstats, UK hotel occupancy rate climbed from 81.4% to 82.1% in August year-on-year, with the rate reaching 84.5% in the capital. However, average daily rates remained flat, while gross profit dipped.

Information

• ONS data reveals that output in the information and communication subsector contracted by 0.7% in July 2025. This fall was caused by a 5.6% decrease in motion picture, video and TV programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities. However, the subsector saw a 1.4% rise in output in the three months to July 2025, caused by growth in computer programming, consultancy and related activities (up 3.2%).
• Ofcom is launching the 5G auction for 26GHz and 40GHz in mid-October 2025, with the major mobile telecoms, BT, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone Three, taking part. ISPreview states the move will free up more data capacity for fast speeds (e.g. multi-Gigabit).
• BT’s Openreach has warned that the UK is at risk of failing to meet its target of connecting 30 million homes with full fibre broadband by 2030 due to the measures introduced in 2021, including a price cap on how much it can charge broadband companies to use its network, to tackle its dominance and encourage competition. It has called on Ofcom to ease these restrictions; however, in April 2025, the regulator stated that restrictions on Openreach should remain in place until at least 2031 to drive competition.
• Vodafone reported a severe outage on 13 October 2025, with customers complaining about their mobile data and broadband connections. The BBC reports that over 130,000 reports were flagged to the web outage monitor Downdetector. The issue was resolved, with the company stating it was down to a “non-malicious software issue”.
• BT has said it targets EE’s 5G SA to reach 99% coverage of the population by 2030, years before its rivals, showcasing the company’s strong ambitions.
• VodafoneThree has announced plans to invest £11 billion to build “the UK’s best network”. It has appointed leading global communications technology companies Ericsson and Nokia to deliver one of Europe’s largest privately-funded infrastructure builds. The company states that the network build will help boost the UK economy by up to £102 billion between 2025 and 2035. Following the recent merger between Vodafone and Three, their customers have benefitted from boosted 4G speeds (up to 40%), while also allowing millions of customers to automatically use each other’s network. VodafoneThree is the only operator in the UK with a regulated, fully funded and guaranteed network build plan, reaching 99.95% 5G Standalone population coverage by 2034.
• The Financial Times reports the major UK mobile operators, Virgin Media O2, EE and VodafoneThree, are cracking down on who they allow to purchase devices amid soaring cases of handset fraud, which is estimated to cost the industry over £200 million annually. Cifas reveals that “mobile dealer” fraud cases surged by 650% in H1 2025, to over 16,000, making it the most prevalent scam.
• The UK’s Ministry of Defence has awarded Google a £400 million deal for its cloud platform to deliver top-quality AI and cybersecurity capabilities alongside data storage and processing.
• Ofcom has issued the first fine under its Online Safety Act, with a £20,000 fine to 4chan for failing to respond to requests for information about its compliance with the new online regime.

Finance & Insurance

• Global insurance regulators are diverging – while some jurisdictions (e.g. EU, China) are loosening capital requirements to encourage insurer investment in economic activity, the UK is opting for reforms to its risk transformation rules and signalling tighter scrutiny of funded reinsurance treaties. According to Insurance Business, London aims to preserve its competitiveness as a reinsurance hub through innovation, even as regulators in the US and elsewhere impose stricter asset-liability alignment tests. For the UK finance and insurance sector, this could mean both opportunity and constraint: firms that can adapt may gain a competitive edge. However, increased regulatory complexity and oversight risk hiking compliance costs and capital strain.

• A surge in “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) credit in the UK is underway, with around 25% of adults using it last year – a jump from previous years, UK Finance data shows. Regulators are preparing a new framework: BNPL (or Deferred Payment Credit) will come under FCA oversight in mid-2026, requiring companies to be authorised, carry out affordability checks and comply with consumer protections. For the finance and insurance sector, this means increased regulatory compliance, operational cost burdens and tighter scrutiny of credit risk. Companies able to adapt will benefit from market legitimacy, but smaller BNPL providers may struggle under the new rules.

• UK house prices rose by 0.5% in September 2025, pushing the average home price to £271,995, while annual growth edged up to 2.2%, Nationwide data reveals. Despite recent increases in mortgage rates, stronger wages and low unemployment have underpinned demand. Mortgage approval numbers remain around 65,000 per month, near pre-pandemic levels, the Bank of England reports. For the finance and insurance sector, this suggests sustained demand for mortgage lending and home insurance, but rising rates could squeeze affordability and increase default risk.

• Household energy debt in the UK has tripled over the past decade, driven by the cost-of-living squeeze, according to recent reports, around 1 million households now have unpaid gas and electricity bills with no repayment plan. Average debts have risen to about £1,400 for gas and £1,600 for electricity, up from roughly £500 each 10 years ago.

• Rising energy debt increases financial risk for lenders and utility credit providers, leading to higher write-offs and provisioning for bad debt. Credit checks and affordability assessments may tighten, reducing access to credit for vulnerable consumers. Insurance firms may face increased claims linked to non-payment consequences (e.g. from loss of heating or appliance failures). Banks and financial services may also see more customers default or fall into debt, increasing demand for debt advice services and potentially prompting regulatory scrutiny over consumer protection in energy finance.

• Santander UK research shows that over 530,000 home sales fail each year in England and Wales due to an “antiquated” buying process – far more than previous government estimates. Each failed transaction costs buyers on average £1,240, with one-in-five people losing more than £2,000. Contributors to failure include delays, seller withdrawal, issues from the survey and last-minute offer changes. The scale of failed transactions poses significant financial and operational risks. Mortgage lenders bear costs tied to aborted transactions, legal work and failed valuations. Insurers and conveyancers may see more claims, disputes and inefficiency. Banks need to tighten risk assessment and underwriting processes, while also pushing for process reform - digitalisation, clearer upfront disclosures and faster exchanges – to reduce transactional uncertainty, improve customer experience and protect profitability.

• According to a recent DCL Broker Barometer, 68% of brokers believe many providers are failing to use communication technology effectively in commercial claims, dragging down claims efficiency. Communication was cited as the top frustration by 85% of brokers, followed by delays in settlement (69%) and limited data transparency (46%). Under-use of tech in claims slows down resolution times, increases operational costs and worsens broker-client relationships. Over time, companies that adapt faster will gain a competitive advantage, while laggards may lose market share or face regulatory scrutiny.

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

• According to Nationwide, annual house price growth increased by 2.2% in September 2025 compared with September 2024. Prices climbed by 0.5% month on month and the average house price stood at £271,995. Nationwide reports that the housing market is propped up by resilient underlying conditions in the economy, including low unemployment, rising earnings and more affordable mortgage rates.

• The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors reveals that UK home sale listings dropped at the fastest pace in two years in September 2025 amid heightened uncertainty over the upcoming Autumn Budget in November, with individuals expecting further tax hikes.

• The Financial Times reports that planned government reforms aimed at speeding up house sales and curbing failed transactions will see homebuyers getting upfront transparency about problems with properties on the market and the option of binding contracts.

• According to CBRE data from September 2025, capital values for UK commercial real estate hiked by 0.1% in August 2025, while rental values inched upward by 0.2%, with total returns at 0.6%. The retail and the industrial sectors recorded month-on-month total returns for August of 0.6% each, while office total returns were at 0.4%. In the three months to August 2025, total returns stood at 1.9%.

• Savill’s Central London Office Market Watch Q2 2025 reveals that leasing activity in Q2 reached 2.7 million square foot (sq ft) across 149 transactions, bringing the year-to-date take-up to 4.8 million sq ft. This is 4% higher than the long-term average for the same period. It also highlights that the volume of transactions over 50,000 sq ft was the highest recorded since H1 2019 and those over 100,000 sq ft reached its highest level since 2019, with occupiers focusing on in-person attendance. The leading sector driving leasing activity in H1 2025 was Insurance and Finance, followed by Tech and Media.

• The value of office buildings in Canary Wharf Group’s portfolio climbed by £10 million in H1 2025, an encouraging sign for the district that has seen a decline in recent years, as reported by the Financial Times. Rising rents and record footfall are driving hikes in value.

• According to Savills, the UK commercial real estate market saw overall investment volume of £21.9 billion in H1 2025, 7% below the long-term H1 average. Industrial was the best-performing sector, accounting for 26% of the market, followed by offices at 24% (with Central London making up 71% of the total) and retail at 18%.

• In October 2025, Savills reported that it forecasts the combined volumes for the office and industrial sectors in 2025 will exceed 2024 levels. At the end of September 2025, industrial and office sector transactions reached around £7 billion and £6.2 billion, respectively. Savills reports that there are many deals at an advanced stage to be completed in Q4 2025, which may take the total above the £10.8 billion and £9.9 billion, respectively, for the 2024 full year. The prime average yield stood at 5.75% in September 2025, for the seventh month since February 2025.

• The Financial Times reports that the property division of QuadReal, one of Canadia’s largest pension fund managers, has committed to lending over £2.5 billion to develop digital infrastructure and address the housing shortage in the UK.

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

• ONS data reports that output in professional, scientific and technical services dipped by 0.03 percentage points in July 2025. However, the sector was up 1.2% in the three months to July 2025, driven by growth in legal activities (up 3.1%) and scientific research and development (up 3.4%).
• KPMG has been fined £711,000 for its audit of clothing retailer N Brown, marking the 14th time it has been fined by the FRC since 2020, which is nearly half of the 30 fines imposed by the FRC on the Big Four firms, as reported by the Financial Times.
• Big Four firm Deloitte UK has reported a dip in revenue for the first time in 15 years, driven by a slowdown in its consulting segment, which contracted by 10% amid businesses holding back on investments in change programmes. Revenue at the firm fell 1% to £5.68 billion in the year to 31 May 2025. The other three service segments all reported growth. However, average profit per equity partner climbed by 4% to £1.05 million, as the firm has benefitted from cost efficiency.
• Highlighting the significant competition to attract and retain talent in the legal sector, some mid-tier UK law firms have been offering a significant boost to junior lawyer pay as they attempt to keep up and compete against larger rivals. The Financial Times reports that Magic Circle firms offered 20% pay increases to junior lawyers last year in an effort to overcome competition from US firms’ London offices. A 2025 study by OneAdvanced found that 32% of law firms placed talent attraction and retention as a core business priority for the next year.
• According to research published by Thomson Reuters in September 2025 reveals that only 24% of UK law firms have an AI adoption strategy in place. Meanwhile, 78% of the top 40 UK law firms now advertise their use of AI, while over three-quarters of the top 20 firms have their own in-house AI department driving transformation.
• The Financial Times reports that UK law firms are recording booming demand for immigration lawyers amid shifting immigration policy.
• The IAB UK HY 2025 Digital Adspend Report forecasts UK digital ad spend to reach £45 billion by 2026, with 10% year-on-year climbs in 2025 and 2026. In the first half of 2025, UK digital ad spend totalled £18.7 billion.
• According to figures from the UK BioIndustry Association, UK life sciences raised £1.23 billion in venture capital investment in H1 2025, despite a dip in funding in Q2 2025.
• In October 2025, the British Business Bank announced that it co-invested over £250 million directly into 33 UK technology and life science companies.

Education

• UK higher education is facing a sharp contraction: over the past year, universities plan cuts amounting to more than 15,000 jobs, nearly triple the scale of cuts reported in March, according to The University and College Union. The trend signals deep financial stress in the sector, driven by rising operating costs, falling international student recruitment and increased pension liabilities. The fallout is growing with mounting industrial action, reduced staffing levels and the potential erosion of teaching quality or student support.

• Treasury internal documents suggest that private schools will absorb less than 1% of Labour’s proposed VAT on fees, with the bulk passed to parents. The trend reflects the government pressing ahead with its manifesto pledge to end tax breaks for the private sector and redirect revenue into the state system. The likely effects are higher fees for parents, increased risk of pupil exits or dropped enrolments, financial stress on smaller independent schools and legal challenges (notably on grounds of discrimination and special-needs provision). On the public side, the move aims to generate around £1.7 billion to £1.8 billion annually to fund new teachers and boost the state sector.

• The government’s reforms aim to reshape further and higher education in England by setting a new target that two-thirds of young people should engage in higher-level learning (academic, technical or apprenticeships) by age 25, up from approximately 50%; ensuring at least 10% pursue higher technical education or apprenticeships by 2040, nearly double today’s level; introducing 14 new Technical Excellence Colleges in growth sectors. Mandating 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths instruction for students lacking GCSE passes.

• Other initiatives include unifying funding models for Levels 4-6, bringing FE and HE under the Office for Students and awarding powers to providers. Investing £800 million extra for 16-19 provision in 2026-27, supporting around 20,000 additional students. These reforms will intensify pressure on colleges and universities to deliver technical and applied programmes, widen access to higher education, standardise accountability and require significant upskilling of FE/HE teachers. Funding shifts and new regulatory oversight may provoke institutional change, while the emphasis on post-16 pathways and technical education could reshape student flows.

• The Research Professional News reports UK academic quality faces “imminent danger” from the current political climate, citing excessive regulation, media pressure and politicised oversight as risks to research and teaching integrity. It warns that leaders may self-censor or prioritise compliance over scholarly values, undermining institutional autonomy. For education, this could erode excellence, discourage rigorous inquiry, distort research priorities, and weaken the attractiveness of UK universities abroad.

• UCAS data shows applications for undergraduate language degrees in the UK have dropped by more than 20% since 2019, while overall applications rose 10%, leaving many modern language departments under severe pressure. Fewer than 3% of A-level entries in 2025 were in foreign languages, with German and French entries continuing to decline.

• The N8 group of northern research universities, including Durham, Manchester and Newcastle, is exploring collaboration and resource sharing to prevent closures, with options ranging from shared teaching staff to potential joint degree provision. Universities like Aberdeen, Coventry and Lincoln have already scaled back offerings, while Cardiff reversed course closures but cut staff. The decline, driven by a shortage of teachers and the 2004 end of compulsory language study at GCSE, poses risks to the UK’s strategic capacity in languages like Russian and Chinese. For the education sector, this trend threatens course diversity, staffing stability and the UK’s long-term global competitiveness.

• The Universities of Kent and Greenwich will merge in 2026 to form the London and South East University Group, creating one of the UK’s largest higher education institutions. The move, described by leaders as a way to build a “strong financial foundation”, comes amid widespread course closures, job cuts and funding pressures across the sector. While framed as “radical collaboration”, unions have criticised the plan as a takeover, noting Kent’s severe financial stress, voluntary redundancies and programme closures in health, social care, journalism and philosophy.

• With previous mergers including City and St George’s and Anglia Ruskin with Writtle, this case marks a shift towards consolidation among larger universities. For the education sector, the merger highlights mounting financial strain, the push for structural reform and the likelihood of further institutional consolidations to ensure resilience.

• UK study visa applications fell to 120,100 in August 2025, down 1.5% year-on-year and 18% lower than August 2023, according to Home Office data. August typically accounts for a third of annual applications, making the decline particularly concerning.

• International students are a vital revenue source for universities facing long-term funding pressures, but demand has slumped following tighter visa rules, including reducing the acceptable refusal rate to 5% (from 10%) and proposals in the immigration white paper for a 6% levy on overseas fee income and cutting graduate post-study work rights from two years to 18 months. Universities may also be more cautious in recruiting from countries with higher refusal rates. For the UK education sector, these policies heighten financial instability, reduce global competitiveness and risk accelerating structural changes like mergers, with serious consequences for research, staffing and course provision.

• England’s independent schools saw 11,009 fewer pupils in January 2025 compared with the previous year, a 1.9% decline to 582,477 students, the first fall since the pandemic. This follows the government’s removal of the 20% VAT exemption on private school fees, which schools say has pushed average fees up 22.6% year-on-year, pricing out more families than the government’s forecast of 3,000 leavers.

• Private schools now account for 6.4% of all pupils, down from 6.5%. While the government argues the shift reflects wider demographic trends and will raise £1.8 billion annually by 2029-30 to support state schools, the Independent Schools Council warns of an “outsized exodus” that risks overburdening the state sector. With pupil numbers overall projected to fall by 700,000 by 2030, the policy’s long-term effects on school choice, social mobility and funding stability across both sectors remain uncertain.

Healthcare & Social Assistance

• The UK health and social care sector is facing increasing disruption from workforce disputes, with a strike by Gloucestershire phlebotomists becoming the longest in NHS history at 200 days. The industrial action, led by Unison, centres on claims that Band 2 pay undervalues the skilled nature of blood collection and handling work. Negotiations have repeatedly stalled, though recent talks included the potential revaluation of the role. NHS Trust leaders argue they must follow the national pay framework to ensure fairness. The dispute reflects wider workforce dissatisfaction and pay inequities across the NHS, particularly among support staff excluded from national uplift campaigns. Prolonged strikes threaten service delivery, exacerbate recruitment and retention issues and highlight structural weaknesses in the NHS pay system.

• The UK health and social care sector is under mounting pressure as patients are being left in hospital corridors for dangerously long periods, according to the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM). Fewer than one in five acutely unwell patients are assessed in acute medical units (AMUs), meaning many miss timely specialist care. SAM’s June benchmarking audit of over 10,000 patients found nearly half were first seen in emergency departments and over 90% waited more than four hours in A&E. This reflects worsening hospital overcrowding, bed shortages and flow blockages, which heighten clinical risks and delay treatment. Health leaders are being urged to act swiftly to address these systemic pressures, which threaten patient safety and further strain staff capacity.

• Plans are reportedly underway to lower the age at which people become eligible for free NHS prescriptions, widening access beyond the current qualifying groups. This policy shift aims to relieve financial pressure on patients, especially amid the cost-of-living crisis and could improve medication adherence and health outcomes. However, expanding eligibility would also increase demand on NHS prescription budgets and pharmacy services, creating fiscal and logistical pressures. The move signals a political prioritisation of equity in healthcare access.

• The UK government has confirmed it will not impose a sales tax (VAT) on private healthcare, with Health Minister Wes Streeting stating “it’s not happening” despite speculation ahead of the November 2025 Budget, when Finance Minister Rachel Reeves faces a fiscal gap worth tens of billions. For the health and social care sector, the decision avoids placing additional financial pressure on private providers and patients, helping to keep services affordable and demand steady, while also preventing more strain on the NHS by ensuring no VAT-related barriers to accessing private care. It reduces uncertainty for providers and maintains stability, though wider funding challenges for public health and social care remain unresolved.

• The UK government has ordered all GP practices in England to offer online appointment bookings between 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. The move is designed to end the ‘8am scramble’ for appointments and improve patient access. Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said it would give patients “greater choice and convenience”, noting some GPs already see benefits. The BMA criticised the plan, warning of a potential “online triage tsunami” and has threatened industrial action. However, Dr Duncan Gooch of the NHS Confederation said many practices using the system report reduced staff stress, fewer patient conflicts and higher job satisfaction. While digital access may ease strain on phone lines and improve fairness, further investment in general practice is still needed.

• The NHS is launching NHS Online, a fully digital “online hospital” from 2027, enabling patients to access specialist care, book scans, manage prescriptions and receive clinical advice via the NHS App – without needing a physical hospital site. Patients referred by their GP can bypass local waiting lists, with scans and procedures scheduled at nearby Community Diagnostic Centres. The service aims to deliver up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, around four times the output of an average NHS trust. It prioritises long-wait planned treatments initially, expanding over time and seeks to reduce regional inequality by connecting patients to specialists nationwide.

• The government has committed £500 million to address “poverty pay” in social care, but providers warn this amount “barely scratches the surface” of deep-rooted workforce issues. While the funding may offer short-term relief, it falls short of solving long-standing challenges like low salaries, recruitment struggles and retention in social care. The limited investment risks reinforcing inequalities between care and other sectors, making it harder to professionalise the workforce. Without a sustained, strategic funding increase, the social care sector may continue to suffer from understaffing, high turnover and service quality pressures – ultimately affecting vulnerable service users and increasing strain on health and social systems.

• Research by MIT’s Jameel Clinic and LSE found AI tools in health and social care risk embedding and amplifying existing inequalities. Studies show LLMs like GPT-4 and Google’s Gemma recommend lower levels of care for women, downplay their symptoms and show less empathy toward Black and Asian patients. Patients using informal or non-standard English were 7-9% more likely to be advised against seeking care, raising concerns about treatment for non-native speakers. For the UK health and social care sector, this creates serious risks: biased decision support could worsen health disparities, erode patient trust and expose providers to legal or ethical challenges.

• Reliance on flawed AI could reduce the quality of case notes and social work assessments, particularly as Gemma is already used by over half of UK local authorities. Unless addressed through more representative datasets, regulatory oversight and clinician training, these biases may undermine efforts to modernise services while safeguarding equitable care.

• A recent report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, with analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, warns that England’s adult social care system is at “breaking point”. Over the last two decades, unpaid carers providing 35+ hours per week have risen from 1.1 million in 2003-04 to 1.9 million in 2023-24.  New requests for social care increased from 1.8 million in 2015-15 to 2.1 million in 2023-24, but only a 2.5% increase in those receiving support followed, despite a 15% rise in demand. The growing disparity between demand and support strains both formal services and unpaid carers, driving burnout, service delays and poorer outcomes.

• As more people with complex needs go unsupported, pressures on the NHS increase – particularly via hospital discharge delays when patients lack home or community care. The workforce faces retention crises and underfunding, necessitating urgent reform, clearer funding commitments and better integration between health, social care and carer support.

• On 18 September 2025, the UK government announced a Joint Executive Team to be set up across the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England, as part of the planned re-integration of the two bodies. From 3 November 2025, this new leadership structure will begin merging policy and delivery, combining directors from aligned work areas with shared responsibilities. The move is intended to cut duplication, reduce bureaucracy and channel more resources into frontline services. Regional delivery arms will also be reinforced to improve performance locally.

• A BMJ study shows that 34% of qualified GPs in England no longer work in NHS general practice as of 2024 – up from 27% in 2015. The imbalance is worse when measured in full-time equivalents: over half of the GP workforce licensed by the GMC isn’t active in NHS general practice. At the same time, patient loads per full-time GP have risen by 15% since 2015.  This trend is especially marked among younger, female and London-based GPs.

• The growing gap between GP supply and NHS demand threatens frontline access: longer waits, reduced continuity of care and fewer appointments with familiar doctors. It undermines ambitions to shift care into community settings and intensifies pressure on hospitals as primary care capacity weakens. Retention becomes as important as recruitment; without changes to workload, morale, pay and work patterns, the NHS risks increasingly losing GPs and with them the quality and affordability of care.

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

• A recent UK Gambling Commission report examines consumer engagement with illegal online gambling, identifying four main groups using unlicensed platforms: self-excluders, “skilled advocates”, “social explorers” and “accidental tourists”. Key motivations include better odds, freer promotions, use of cryptocurrencies and bypassing staking or identification limits. Importantly, many who use unlicensed sites also continue to use licensed ones.

• Since April 2024, the UKGC has increased its disruption activity in the black-market gambling space tenfold. Illegal gambling undermines the integrity by siphoning off revenue, eroding consumer trust and increasing regulatory risk. Licensed gambling companies may see reduced market share, forcing higher compliance costs or squeezed margins. The sector may also face reputational damage if associations with unlicensed sites emerge and public calls for tighter regulation could change the competitive landscape substantially.

• In August 2025, the UK government announced that £15 million from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund will go to 37 local heritage sites across England to support repair, conservation and community uses. This investment bolsters the preservation of heritage venues and cultural infrastructure, enabling them to host more events, performances and community activities. It can boost local cultural tourism, generate employment (especially in conservation, management, and programming) and help smaller or struggling arts organisations benefit from improved facilities.

• By aiding heritage sites in disadvantaged areas, the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund also supports local access to cultural recreation, helping reduce geographic inequalities in cultural provision. Priority is being given to projects in disadvantaged communities, with aims including job creation, cultural events and restoring buildings at risk to active community or creative usage.

• A recent government announcement revealed a £4 million funding boost via the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund aimed at improving accessibility and increasing public access to arts and culture, especially in regional museums and galleries in England. Half of the funding (£2 million) comes from DCMS, matched by £2 million from the Wolfson Foundation. Projects supported will enhance visitor access by improving displays, upgrading exhibition care and installing accessibility features. Over the past 20 years, the fund has supported more than 440 projects, distributing over £50 million in total.

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