Steel News 2025

21 August 2025: Liberty Speciality Steel will enter administration following a winding down petition in the high court. Liberty Speciality Steel is now placed under the control of special managers appointed by the government’s official receiver.

10 July 2025: UK Steel welcomes the Government’s decision to rule out proposals for zonal electricity pricing within the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA), after Secretary of State Ed Miliband recognised the need to protect the security and competitiveness of the UK steel sector.

30 June 2025: UK Steel’s recommendations to strengthen existing steel safeguard measures have been taken forward today after the Secretary of State stepped in at a critical time for industry – crucially, it has been confirmed the changes will take effect on 1 July.

26 June 2025: UK Steel, the trade association representing Britain’s steel producers, launched its Digital Steel Catalogue today. It is at the heart of the Government’s revised procurement guidance for steel (launched today), which includes a formal requirement for steel buyers to consult the Catalogue during purchasing decisions, as well as a requirement to consider national security considerations.

25 June 2025: UK Steel is delighted to see the Government has used the publication of its Trade Strategy to arm itself with the weapons it needs to defend industries such as steel. The Government has listened closely to UK Steel and our message that policymakers have to utilise robust trade defence to counter global overcapacity and the flood of subsidised steel entering our market.

25 June 2025: The Department for Business and Trade has today opened a call for evidence from steel companies as it starts the process of designing a replacement mechanism for steel safeguards which are scheduled to expire in June 2026.

24 June 2025: UK Steel’s recommendations to strengthen existing steel safeguard measures have been taken forward today after the Secretary of State stepped in at a critical time for industry.

23 June 2025: The uplift to Network Charging Compensation from 60% to 90% in line with what is provided in Germany will reduce industrial electricity prices by £6.5 per megawatt hour (MWh) for the steel industry – an incredible £14.5 million per year. Despite this impactful cut to electricity costs, there remains a £10-16 per MWh difference between European electricity costs, which slaps £36 million per year on steel bills.

19 June 2025: Millions of tonnes of steel will be needed for the Infrastructure Strategy investments in new nuclear capacity, regional transport, schools and prisons, announced today by the Government. However, ongoing market confidence for steel companies will be cemented with truly competitive electricity prices, strategic domestic public procurement and reinforced trade defences.

3 June 2025: UK steelmakers have been told that they will temporarily steer clear of President Trump’s 50% steel import tariff having expected to encounter the new hiked-up import tax tomorrow. The 50% tariff being applied to other nations is set to replace the broad brush 25% tariff the President slapped on all steel imports earlier this year, which came into effect on 12 March.

2 June 2025: The Government has today published the outcome of its wide-ranging Strategic Defence Review (SDR), detailing the steps needed to boost domestic manufacturing capability to support our military priorities.

31 May 2025: UK steelmakers are expecting to encounter a new 50% import tax after President Trump hiked his tax on all steel and aluminium entering the US. This is set to replace the 25% import tax the President slapped on imports earlier this year, which came into effect on 12 March.