The government has published a 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, designed to address the maintenance backlog in schools, colleges, hospitals and courts.
It is hoped that the plans will encourage inward investment by providing a long-term vision that gives investors the confidence and certainty they need to commit funding to projects, creating job opportunities and boosting living standards for people across the country.
The plans are already backed by at least £725 billion of government funding over the coming decade, from which at least £9 billion will be allocated in 2025-26 to address the critical maintenance needs of health, education and justice estates. This will rise by over £10 billion per year by 2034-35.
In turn, it is hoped that this will increase access to quality, modern public services, following years of underinvestment, and deliver significant real-world benefits for patients, students, staff, and communities.
There will be over £6 billion a year for the NHS estate to create safer hospital environments across England with reduced waiting times, improved patient outcomes, and better working conditions for NHS staff. With plans to eliminate RAAC concrete and address critical infrastructure risks, patients will receive care in modern facilities that support their treatment and recovery.
For education, spending on school and college maintenance will rise to almost £3 billion annually, transforming learning environments across England and providing safe and high-quality spaces for children and young people, improving educational outcomes and breaking down barriers to opportunity.
In the justice system, at least £600 million investment each year will improve safety and security in prisons across England and Wales, reducing incidents and creating environments more conducive to rehabilitation.
The strategy directly supports the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future, with healthcare facilities that enable earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.
The funding also includes £1 billion to carry out maintenance on key transport infrastructure, including crumbling bridges, flyovers and crossings; £590 million to start work on the Lower Thames Crossing; and £16 billion of new public investment will help build over 500,000 new homes, which will also unlock over £53bn of private investment.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: "Infrastructure is crucial to unlocking growth across the country, but for too long investment has been squeezed. Crumbling public buildings are a sign of the decay that has seeped into our everyday lives because of a total failure to plan and invest.
"We’re not just fixing buildings – we’re enhancing public services, improving lives and creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth in communities throughout the UK.
"This will deliver the decade of national renewal we promised Britain, and fulfil our Plan for Change goals to kickstart economic growth, and build an NHS fit for the future."
Earlier this year, the government established the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will work with partners across government and industry to effectively implement the strategy across the whole of the UK.
NISTA will periodically review the progress made and work with devolved governments to ensure that infrastructure strategy across the UK is joined up.
Becky Wood, Chief Executive Officer of NISTA, said: "This investment is a welcome part of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and will help us to address some of the challenges that our key public services have faced over recent years.
"Strategic preventative maintenance based on longer-term plans is a more effective approach than making decisions in the absence of certainty about the future - and will ensure our vital public services remain resilient and fit for purpose.
"By approaching replacement and maintenance of our infrastructure in an informed and systematic way, we can target interventions effectively and plan properly for the future."
