29.07.2026

Make UK has produced a short summer briefing for MPs, Ministers, officials and key government stakeholders setting out the immediate pressures facing manufacturers and the practical steps needed to keep the sector investing, employing and growing.

With confidence falling, margins under pressure and growth forecast to remain weak into 2027, manufacturers are making difficult decisions about cash, investment and hiring. 

This briefing has been created to give decision-makers a clear, evidence-led overview of what is happening on the ground and why action is needed now.

The paper focuses on three immediate measures that would help manufacturers remain liquid and competitive over the next 12 months: 

  • Bringing forward and widening the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.
  • Delaying business rates changes by 12 months.
  • Temporarily increasing the employer National Insurance threshold from £5,000 to £7,500.

We are sharing this briefing over the summer to ensure the voice of manufacturers is heard ahead of the Autumn fiscal event, and to help policymakers understand the real-world impact of rising energy costs, employment costs and wider business pressures on Britain’s makers and the 2.5 million jobs they support.

Read the briefing below to see Make UK’s three immediate recommendations to back Britain’s manufacturers.

Available resources