UK Steel welcomes Government action to secure British Steel's future

UK Steel has welcomed the Government's decision to bring British Steel into public ownership, describing it as a vital intervention that secures the future of a strategically important steelmaker and provides certainty for its workforce, customers and wider supply chain. 

British Steel is the UK's only producer of several essential long steel products, including rail and structural sections used across the country's transport, construction and infrastructure sectors. Preserving this capability is critical to the UK's industrial resilience, national security and future economic growth. 

UK Steel Director-General, Gareth Stace, said: 

"British Steel produces products that are fundamental to building and maintaining the nation's railways, infrastructure and manufacturing base. Retaining this capability in the UK is essential to strengthening our industrial resilience, supporting economic growth and reducing reliance on imports in an increasingly uncertain world. 

"Bringing British Steel into public ownership is the right move. As the next Government takes office next week, its priority must now be to deliver a long-term plan that restores British Steel to commercial sustainability, secures investment in modern, low-carbon steelmaking and creates the competitive business environment the sector needs to thrive. 

"The Government has already demonstrated its commitment to the future of UK steel through its Steel Strategy and recent action on trade. We now look forward to working closely with ministers to secure a sustainable future for British Steel and ensure that the wider UK steel sector has the conditions it needs to compete, invest and grow."

UK Steel has consistently highlighted the importance of maintaining domestic steelmaking capability as a foundation of the UK's economic and national security. British Steel's products are essential to major infrastructure projects and supply chains across the country, making the company's future important not only to its workforce and customers but to the wider UK economy. 

UK Steel will continue to work constructively with the Government, British Steel and its workforce to support a long-term future for the company and a stronger, more resilient UK steel industry.

ENDS 

Contact Information

Jon Harrison, UK Steel, Director - Press & External Affairs, 0774 382 9613, jharrison@makeuk.org

About UK Steel: 

• UK Steel is the trade association for the UK steel industry. It represents all the country’s steelmakers and most downstream steel processors.
• The UK steel sector: 
• Produced 2.6Mt of crude steel in 2025 and supplied 32% of the UK's annual finished steel demand of 8.6Mt
• Employs 34,000 people directly in the UK and supports a further 42,000 in supply chains
• The median steel sector salary is £40,278, 22% higher than the UK national median and 34% higher than the regional median in Wales, and Yorkshire & Humberside where its jobs are concentrated
• Directly contributes £1.7 billion to UK GVA and supports a further £2.3 billion
• Directly contributes £2.9 billion to the UK’s balance of trade
• 96% of steel used in construction and infrastructure in the UK is recovered and recycled to be used again and again