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.

• 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 have 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%.

• Sentiment towards British farming is on the up as “Buy British” narratives take hold. The 2025 AHDB and YouGov survey reveals that 71% of consumers hold a positive view of British agriculture, up from 67% in 2024 and the highest level since the survey began in 2019. 58% of consumers say they are likely to seek out British food over imported alternatives, offering a welcome boost for a sector that has struggled with rising input costs, volatile commodity prices and competition from cheaper imports.

• Extreme weather delivers a poor harvest, with farmers blaming heavy rainfall followed by prolonged dry spells for damaging yields. Provisional government data released in October show England’s 2025 barley harvest down 14% year on year, while spring barley output fell 23%.

Mining

• The Office for National Statistics reports that the mining and quarrying sector output dropped by 2.3% in August 2025. Output from the sector dipped by 0.2% in the three months to August 2025.
• World Bank Commodities Price Data released in November 2025 shows that quarterly average Brent crude oil and WTI crude oil prices have been steadily falling since Q3 2024. Prices have eased further in October 2025 amid oversupply.
• World Bank Commodities Price Data released in November 2025 shows that, in October 2025, metals and minerals, apart from nickel, 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, especially gold, have climbed and remained high by historical averages in October 2025, with gold continuing to climb to record levels, amid heightened global economic uncertainty, escalating geopolitical conflict tensions and US tariff concerns.
• 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.
• 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.
• The Financial Times reports that UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves could move to scrap the windfall tax on the UK oil and gas industry in the Autumn Budget, ending the energy profit levy in March 2029 instead of in March 2030, as long as oil and gas companies commit to new investment and jobs in the North Sea.
• In early November 2025, in an interview with Sky News, US Ambassador Warren Stephens urged the UK to hike drilling in the North Sea to boost the economy.

Manufacturing

• The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 49.7 in October 2025 (flash estimate), up from 46.2 the previous month, marking the 13th consecutive month of contraction in manufacturing output in the UK. While still in contraction, this comes as a boost as September marked 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. October’s PMI uptick was driven by a rebound in car manufacturing as Jaguar Land Rover resumed production, coupled with falling input costs and smoother supply chains.

• 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 new sales to be electric vehicles (EVs) by the end of 2025, with fines of up to £12,000 per non-compliant car. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose 29.1% year-on-year in September 2025, reaching 72,779 units and accounting for a 22.1% share of the new-car market.

• 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.

• 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.

• A Make UK report published in October shows manufacturers are investing at their slowest pace since 2017, with spending on plant and machinery averaging 6.8 % of turnover in 2025, down from 8.1 % in 2024. Nearly 40% of companies cited uncertainty over tax incentives and allowances as a key factor holding back capital spending, alongside high borrowing costs and weaker demand.

• Car production slumped to its lowest level since 1952 in September as the industry grappled with the fallout from the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack, which halted production for six weeks from 31 August 2025. Data from the SMMT show UK car output fell to 51,100 units, down from 70,000 a year earlier – a dip of 27%. The National Cyber Security Centre estimates the disruption at JLR cost the UK economy around £1.9 billion.

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.

• 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.

• Sewage pollution and water outages have surged despite higher bills. New Ofwat data show total pollution incidents in England rose 27% between 2020 and 2025, despite water companies pledging to cut them by 30% over the same period. The regulator also found interruptions to water supplies increased by 8%, driven by burst mains and failures at treatment works.

• The UK government has announced plans to create 400,000 additional jobs by 2030 for the clean-energy sector. Employment in renewables, including wind, solar and nuclear, is expected to double to 860,000, ramping up demand for 31 priority occupations, including plumbers, electricians and welders.

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 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.

• Data from the Government’s Insolvency Service show that construction companies in England & Wales accounted for 15% of all insolvencies in August 2025, a 12.7% monthly decline and 11.9% year-on-year. This reflects easing cost pressures and a steadier flow of public and private infrastructure projects, which are helping to sustain demand for construction firms.

Wholesale Trade

• According to the Office for National Statistics, output in the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles dipped by 2% in August 2025, the largest negative contribution to output in consumer-facing services.

• 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.

• 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. The Grocer reported at the end of October 2025 that the collapsed company owed creditors £10.5 million.

• World-leading cooling technology and HVAC wholesaler, Beijer Ref, has moved to consolidate by uniting its three UK businesses and rebranding its Irish operations (Dean and Wood, RW Refrigeration and HRP in England and DWG Refrigeration Wholesale in Ireland) to achieve efficiencies.

• According to The Grocer, the Wholesale Group is trading ahead of expectations and is closing in on the £5 billion turnover target, representing 14% of the wholesale market.

• An exemption of wholesale depots from the proposed higher band of business rates from 2026 will hike costs for wholesalers, with 80% stating they would be forced to raise food prices in response.

• Citing industry experts, The Grocer reports that AI tools could help wholesalers cut order processing time in half, enhancing efficiency.

• Italian dairy conglomerate Granarolo, which has a UK subsidiary in the wholesale of dairy, has strengthened its UK market position following the acquisition of West Horsley Dairy, a wholesaler of dairy products to caterers, schools, restaurants and other independent clients in the south of England.

Retail Trade

• The BRC reports retail spending growth in the UK slowed in September 2025, with overall retail sales up 2.3% year-on-year. Food sales grew 4.3%, but non-food sales only rose 0.7% month-on-month. Retailers attribute the sluggish performance to household caution ahead of the impending Budget and rising bills, as well as mild weather delaying autumn wardrobe refreshes. The retail sector faces pressure on investment and hiring decisions and risks remain for large stores and jobs amid ongoing business-rate uncertainty.

• The latest CPI figures show headline inflation in the UK remains steady at 3.8%, with food inflation easing to 4.5%. Food inflation is expected to remain high into 2026 as inflationary pressures from the last Budget continue to filter through, a trend now evident in the prices of clothing and footwear.

• Britain’s major supermarkets have urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to scrap the proposed business-rates surtax on large retail premises, warning it would worsen inflation and undermine consumer confidence. The British Retail Consortium said retailers have already absorbed more than £7 billion in extra costs this year from higher national insurance contributions and packaging taxes. Applying the surtax to big stores could drive up food prices, squeeze profit margins and hinder investment across the retail sector. Industry leaders argue that easing the tax burden is vital to stabilise prices, safeguard jobs and maintain momentum in the fight against inflation.

• The British Retail Consortium (BRC) welcomed the Keep Britain Working Review carried out by Sir Charlie Mayfield, noting that retailers already invest significantly in supporting employees with ill-health or disabilities and recognise the structural barriers cited in the report. However, the BRC has also urged MPs to support the practical amendments tabled by the House of Lords to the Employment Rights Bill, warning that measures like “day-one rights” and guaranteed hours contracts could hamper hiring and reduce flexibility,  particularly as around half of retail workers are part-time. The BRC emphasises that while it supports fair treatment of employees, the Bill must protect flexible roles and ensure responsible businesses aren’t penalised.

• The British Retail Consortium reports that UK retail footfall fell for a sixth consecutive month, with overall visits down 0.7% year-on-year during the four weeks to 1 November 2025. While high streets managed a modest increase of 0.6%, shopping centres and retail parks continued to decline. The slump reflects weak consumer confidence, the cost-of-living squeeze and anticipation of tax rises ahead of the Budget. For the retail sector, ongoing footfall falls mean pressure on sales, margins and investment, making government support on business rates and cost burdens ever more crucial.

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.

• 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.

• The UK’s Rail Minister has warned of growing driver shortages across train operators, urging companies to step up recruitment to avoid disruption. Of the 27,000 licensed train drivers in Britain (excluding Northern Ireland), the Aslef union estimates that around 22% of passenger drivers are due to retire within the next five years, raising the risk of widespread service shortages and increased pressure on operators to train new staff.

• Pakistan International Airlines has resumed weekly flights to the UK after a five-year ban, following regulatory clearance from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The first flight, from Manchester to Islamabad, took place on 25 October, marking the airline’s return after services were suspended in 2020 amid a scandal over fake pilot licences in Pakistan.

Accommodation & Food Services

• ONS data reports that output in accommodation and food beverage service activities climbed by 0.03 percentage points in August 2025. Food and beverage activities grew by 1.5% in August 2025, the largest positive contributor in consumer-facing services. Meanwhile, accommodation output expanded by 2.5% in the three months to August 2025.
• 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.
• The Financial Times reports that UK steakhouses are cutting portion sizes and hiking prices amid a rising cost of beef that weighs on profit, driven by cattle shortages and strong consumer demand.
• Data from the ONS reveals that wage growth in the accommodation and food services sector was below the average across all sectors, climbing by just 3.9% in April 2025 compared with April 2024. This comes as hospitality businesses were preparing for tax hikes in April 2025, with many cutting headcount and reducing workers’ hours.
• 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.
• 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. Meanwhile, while budget hotels struggled amid higher costs and a slowdown in consumer demand, the luxury and midscale segments recorded a climb in occupancy, room rates and profit.

Information

• ONS data reports 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%). In August 2025, output in the sector climbed by just 0.01 percentage points.
• 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).
• 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”.
• 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.
• 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.
• Virgin Media O2 is eyeing up an acquisition of Netomnia, the fourth-largest broadband network operator in the UK, in what The Financial Times states would be a “landmark deal to consolidate the UK telecoms market”. Netomnia’s fibre optic network reaches 2.8 million homes and boasts over 400,000 customers.
• The large mobile network operators, including EE, Vodafone and Virgin Media O2, are stepping up efforts to tackle scam calls using AI technology that can identify and block suspicious calls and texts, preventing scams before they occur.
• The Financial Times reports that UK broadband provider, Gigaclear, has launched a sale process amid a £1 billion debt pile. The provider serves about half a million homes, with about 160,000 customers.
• Large UK banks, including NatWest and Lloyds, have slowed new lending to the UK altnet sector, with many fibre broadband providers facing severe debt while battling high interest rates and low customer uptake.
• According to UK Finance, the number of fraud cases surpassed two million, surging by 17% in H1 2025 compared with the same period in the prior year. The amount of money stolen stood at £629 million, 3% higher.

Finance & Insurance

• More than half (57%) of UK adults now use mobile wallets, according to UK Finance’s Payments Markets Report 2024. Debit, credit and charge cards (physical and mobile) accounted for 64% of all UK transactions, while cash payments fell below 10% for the first time. Meanwhile, real-time transfers via the Faster Payments Service rose by some 14% as mobile banking usage hit 75%. For UK banks, the shift underlines the urgency of upgrading digital infrastructure, managing cyber and fraud risks associated with wallet and instant payments and rethinking offerings, especially as more traditional cash-reliant segments shrink and regulatory focus on newer models like “buy now, pay later” tightens.

• New research reveals that social-media-driven “fear of missing out” (FOMO) is now a major contributor to rising credit card debt in the UK. According to Updraft, 46% of UK adults say they overspent this summer after being influenced by travel and lifestyle posts on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, with the average Brit adding around £1,641 to their credit card debt, up 21 % year-on-year. The phenomenon is especially acute in September, as off-peak holiday bookings rose 20%, indicating people are borrowing to fund experiences they feel pressured into. This trend signals heightened consumer vulnerability – rising unsecured debt may increase default risk and push lenders to tighten credit criteria, adjust risk modelling and enhance financial-wellness services to address impulsive borrowing driven by social pressures.

• Lenders in the UK mortgage market are offering deals with interest rates dipping below 4% for borrowers with sizeable deposits (around 40% of the property's value). This follows funding conditions easing and expectations of further cuts by the Bank of England (BoE), even as the current BoE base rate remains elevated, putting pressure on borrowers on variable or tracker products. This means tighter margins for lenders competing for new business, heightened refinancing risk among homeowners when fixed-rate deals expire and increased scrutiny on underwriting standards  – especially for borrowers with smaller deposits or in regions where affordability remains stretched.

• UK house prices have hit a new record average of £299,862, up 0.6% in October and 1.9% year-on-year, according to the Halifax House Price Index. While demand has held up, affordability remains stretched as the average fixed mortgage rates sit around 4% and many buyers are using smaller deposits or extending loan terms. Regionally, Northern Ireland led with an 8% annual rise, while London and the South East saw small declines (-0.3% and -0.1%, respectively). The backdrop means strong home-equity values support secured lending, but stressed affordability and uneven regional dynamics raise risk-and-return challenges, particularly in underwriting and servicing new mortgage book growth.

• According to money.co.uk’s analysis of government cyber breach data, 48% of small finance and insurance firms in the UK reported a cyber breach in the past year, placing the sector as the third most-targeted for cyberattacks. These attacks carry major cost implications, with the annual bill for small businesses in finance and insurance estimated to reach £921 million. For the UK banking, finance and insurance sector, this trend raises significant concerns, not only around the direct financial losses and reputational damage, but also regulatory exposure, rising cyber-insurance premiums and the need for more robust risk-management frameworks and supplier-chain oversight. Larger firms will be watching closely, as contagion via smaller partners can escalate systemic vulnerabilities.

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

• According to Nationwide, annual house price growth increased by 2.4% in October 2025 compared with October 2024. Prices climbed by 0.3% month on month and the average house price stood at £272,226. Nationwide reports that the housing market shows resilience despite a backdrop of subdued consumer confidence and signs of a weakening labour market. It forecasts that housing affordability could improve if its expectations of income growth outpacing house price growth continue.

• 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 forecasts from Savills, UK house prices could surge by 22.2% over the next five years, though lingering inflation, higher interest rates and a weaker labour market could constrain price growth.

• 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 Q3 2025 reveals that leasing activity slowed in Q3, reaching 1.9 million square foot (sq ft) across 167 transactions. This is down 30% on Q2 2025 and down 28% on the long-term average for Q3. The lower volume of activity was driven by a lack of larger transactions. The overall year-to-date take-up stood at 6.8 million sq ft, 2% below the same period in 2024 and 8% below the long-term average, though this is also impacted by the shift to hybrid working models. The leading sector driving leasing activity was Insurance and Finance (with take-up of 27%), followed by Tech and Media (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.

• According to a report from Bayes Business School, new commercial real estate lending in H1 2025 was 33% higher than in H1 2024, reaching £22.3 billion.

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

• ONS data reports that output in professional, scientific and technical services climbed by 0.6% in August 2025. This was driven by a 3.9% rise in architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis.
• KPMG has been fined £711,000 for its audit of clothing retailer N Brown, marking the 14th time it has been fined by the Financial Reporting Council (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.
• UK law firms and accountancy firms are pushing back against plans for the FCA to supervise them as part of UK anti-money laundering reforms, citing that the move will hike costs and regulatory burden, as reported by the Financial Times.
• 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.
• 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

• The National Curriculum in England is being overhauled for the first time since 2014. Led by the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the updated framework is designed to deliver a clearer, better-organised curriculum with a stronger emphasis on core skills like oracy, reading, writing and mathematics. It also introduces new compulsory elements for younger years, like citizenship in Years one to six and adds digital literacy, sustainability education, expanded GCSE and vocational qualifications.

• The new curriculum will be published in spring 2027 and taught from September 2028. Schools must adapt planning, resources and training to deliver the transformed content and teachers will need support to embed the new structure and ensure equity for pupils, including those with SEND.

• Starting 1 January 2027, the UK will reduce the duration of the Graduate Route visa for most international students from two years to 18 months. Doctoral graduates remain eligible for a three-year stay. The reduction is part of broader immigration reforms aimed at tightening post-study stay and ensuring the route aligns more directly with skilled employment. For universities, the change raises concerns over attractiveness to international students and potential revenue impact. For employers, the shorter timeframe compresses recruitment and training timelines for international graduates.

• The UK government has announced that from the 2026-27 academic year, undergraduate tuition fees in England will rise annually in line with inflation. Fees will continue to be capped and increases will only apply to institutions that meet tougher quality thresholds. The current cap is £9,535 and the reform is designed to give universities a firmer financial footing amid falling income and rising costs. Institutions now face stronger quality-linked constraints, requiring them to justify fee hikes through improvements in teaching and support. The guaranteed fee rise may ease financial stress for many universities, but the conditional nature of increases adds pressure to deliver outcomes. Rising fees will also raise cost concerns for students and could influence affordability and access.

Healthcare & Social Assistance

• The British Medical Association has rejected the government’s latest offer to end strikes by resident doctors in England. Health Secretary Wes Streeting proposed funding exam fees and accelerating training expansions, giving the union a deadline of 13 November 2025 to accept. The BMA said the offer failed to address core concerns over pay, maintaining that real-terms wages have fallen in recent years. The rejection means further industrial action remains likely, deepening pressure on the NHS as it faces a challenging winter period. Rory Deighton of the NHS Confederation warned that continued strikes could undermine recent improvements in performance and productivity, leaving health leaders anxious about staffing and patient care across already stretched hospitals and services.

• The Royal College of Nursing has warned that the future of the profession is at risk as falling student applications highlight a deepening financial crisis. Delivering a petition to the Treasury, the union urged the chancellor to increase support for nursing students in the upcoming Budget. Many trainees, it said, are struggling with debt, food insecurity and reliance on food banks. The RCN is calling for measures, including student loan forgiveness for nurses who stay in the NHS and for all UK governments to review financial aid systems. Without urgent reform, it warns, the pipeline of new nurses could collapse, threatening workforce stability and the delivery of safe, high-quality care across the health and social care sector.

• Councils in England are now relying more on resident payments than NHS funding to underpin adult social care. According to the Department of Health and Social Care’s Adult Social Care Finance Report 2024-25, client contributions rose by 14% to account for 48% of local authority external income, overtaking NHS income. Current expenditure on adult social care reached £29.4 billion, up 9%, with 80% allocated to long-term support services. Weekly residential care costs rose 7% to £1,185.55 and home-care hourly rates now average £23.56. The report warns that councils will need at least an additional £3.4 billion by 2028-29 to keep pace with demand and inflation and existing funding for the upcoming “fair pay agreement” may siphon resources away from other urgent needs.

• Chancellor Rachel Reeves has made tackling England’s NHS waiting list a central priority ahead of the Autumn Budget, highlighting what she described as “record investment” and a reduction of more than 200,000 patients since the general election. However, official data shows waiting lists remain stubbornly high at 7.41 million in August 2025, with pressures continuing to mount across hospitals and community services. The persistent backlog threatens to worsen patient outcomes and expand demand on social care, as delayed treatments often lead to more complex needs. Reeves faces a critical balancing act in allocating funds between the NHS and social care, with workforce shortages and rising costs intensifying the challenge of restoring timely access to care across the system.

• UK health service leaders are warning of longer waiting times and care rationing unless an extra £3 billion is injected into the NHS England budget. The funds are required to cover unplanned costs including staff redundancies, the recent doctors’ strike and rise in drug prices. Without this money, hospitals say they may have to cut weekend and evening surgeries and postpone “lower-clinical‐effectiveness” procedures, threats that jeopardise efforts to decrease the backlog of more than seven million. The pressure highlights a major funding gap in the health and social care sector, with knock-on effects for workforce stability, patient access and the viability of planned reforms.

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

• MPs on the Treasury Select Committee have urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to increase taxes on high-risk gambling activities, including online casino games and high-street slot machines, within the UK gambling industry. They argue the sector’s current tax regime fails to reflect the varying levels of harm and warn against industry “scaremongering” over job losses and economic impact. The proposed higher duties could reduce the funds gambling firms currently channel into sport and leisure sponsorship, including in arts, culture and recreation and may shift spending away from these sectors if the industry scales back its partnerships. Cultural organisations reliant on such revenue face potential funding pressure.

• Everlast Gyms has partnered with global fitness race brand Hyrox to open 60 Hyrox Performance Centres across the UK and Ireland by 2028, transforming gyms into experiential training hubs featuring competition-grade equipment and dedicated race-style classes. The move marks a significant evolution in the recreation landscape, blending fitness, entertainment and community engagement. For the wider arts, culture and recreation sector, it highlights a growing shift towards immersive, performance-led experiences that attract diverse audiences and new sponsorship models. As consumers increasingly seek participatory, event-driven activities, this expansion could spur innovation across leisure venues while intensifying competition for public engagement and funding within the broader cultural and recreational ecosystem.

• n September 2025, the Wolfson Foundation and Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) launched a new round of the “Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund”, offering £4 million in capital funding for regional museums and galleries across England. The scheme, half funded by DCMS and half matched by the Wolfson Foundation, aims to improve accessibility of collections, upgrade exhibition spaces and enhance visitor accessibility, including features like accessible signage and “Changing Places” toilets. This means more venues will be able to remove physical and experiential barriers, potentially increasing audience reach, boosted community engagement and improved equality of access to cultural provision across the regions.

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