UK Infrastructure Pipeline Reveals £718bn Investment and Demand for Up to 706,000 Workers

Posted on 08 May 2026

The UK’s long-term infrastructure outlook has become clearer following the latest update to the UK Infrastructure Pipeline, which now outlines £718 billion of planned investment across public and private sector projects.

Published by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), the updated pipeline provides a more detailed picture of upcoming infrastructure activity, alongside new forecasting for workforce demand across the sector.

For contractors, suppliers and investors involved in rail, energy, transport and major construction projects, the additional data offers stronger visibility of the projects expected to shape the UK’s infrastructure landscape over the next decade.

Construction workforce demand could reach 706,000

A key development in the latest pipeline is the introduction of national workforce modelling for infrastructure delivery.

Forecasts suggest demand for workers across infrastructure programmes could reach:

621,000 to 697,000 workers annually over the next two years
629,000 to 706,000 workers annually within five years

Construction roles account for more than two thirds of total workforce demand, highlighting the scale of labour required to deliver upcoming infrastructure programmes.

Education and healthcare infrastructure projects are expected to drive significant workforce requirements, alongside energy and transport developments.

The modelling was developed through collaboration between several sector skills organisations including CITB, ECITB, NSAR, Energy and Utility Skills and Cogent Skills, with analysis undertaken by Whole Life Consultants.

Energy sector leads £718bn infrastructure investment

The updated infrastructure pipeline shows a significant increase in total investment compared with previous releases, supported by expanded data from infrastructure owners and regional authorities including Mayoral Combined Authorities.

The energy sector represents the largest share of planned investment, accounting for approximately £365 billion over the next ten years.

Alongside investment totals, the pipeline now includes more detailed project information designed to help industry assess opportunities and plan future capacity.

New project data includes:

investment structures and funding requirements
project delivery models
capital investment levels

Greater transparency around project pipelines is expected to help infrastructure companies, investors and supply chains prepare for upcoming opportunities while strengthening the UK’s competitiveness in global infrastructure markets.

Industry welcomes clearer infrastructure pipeline data

Government and industry leaders have welcomed the increased transparency and improved workforce forecasting included in the update.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray said infrastructure delivery remains central to the UK’s economic growth strategy.

He noted that the expanded pipeline provides construction and infrastructure companies with the information needed to invest in the skilled workforce required to deliver future hospitals, schools, railways, reservoirs and renewable energy projects.

NISTA Chief Executive Becky Wood said the additional data reflects industry requests for more detailed information on upcoming investment opportunities.

She explained that stronger collaboration between government, investors and infrastructure delivery partners will be essential to successfully deliver the scale of projects planned across the UK.

Industry bodies also highlighted the value of improved workforce forecasting and clearer project metrics.

Leaders from organisations including ACE, AECOM, Mace and Skanska said the updated pipeline gives businesses greater confidence to plan long-term investment in skills, technology and delivery capacity as infrastructure demand continues to grow.