• To build trust and confidence for investors and the public, the government should communicate project’s benefits and costs more clearly.
• Paying for infrastructure with new funding and financing models is not the answer; improving communication, skills, regulations, and delivery should be prioritised.
• Projects and investment must be clearly linked to societal needs.

How can the government attract private investment to improve UK infrastructure?

The Institution of Civil Engineers has published a new policy paper, Paying for Britain’s Infrastructure System, with key findings for government and decision makers to improve public perception of infrastructure projects, increase value for money, and achieve better outcomes for the public.

Ahead of the Spending Review and the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, these findings give the government clear priorities to focus on.

These include clarifying its infrastructure investment plans, improving delivery and project skills within government, and communicating the benefits of infrastructure investment to the public.

What does the public think?

Public support for infrastructure investment is key. However, polling commissioned by the ICE found that:

While the public believes the government should pay for most major infrastructure projects, it does not trust the government to deliver.

• 44% of people believe that government should fund most major projects.
• 55% describe major infrastructure in the UK as ‘underfunded’.
• The public see funding constraints, shifting priorities, and poor project management as the top three barriers to successfully delivering infrastructure projects.

The public understand that infrastructure investment can deliver benefits, despite low trust.

• Boosting economic growth (43%), more reliable public services (35%) and improved transport and connectivity (32%) were seen as the most important benefits that could come from new infrastructure projects.
• 42% of people believe that meeting society’s needs should be prioritised by the government, throughout infrastructure projects’ lifecycles, e.g., when planning, building, and through the asset’s use.

There’s a clear desire for more information, especially about how projects are funded.

• 62% of people feel the information that is shared about infrastructure projects is poorly communicated. The public is most keen to hear more information about why projects are being built, who will pay for projects, and what projects will cost them individually.
• There’s little public consensus on other funding models.33% of people believe new projects should be funded by everyone’s taxes, while 39% believe the end users of a project should bear the cost.

Why private finance?

With limited public funds available and a commitment to spark economic growth through infrastructure investment, the government wants to leverage private finance to improve the UK’s transport, water, and energy systems after decades of underinvestment.

However, there’s strong, global competition for private finance and many investors see the UK as a high-risk environment compared to similar countries.

To develop its insights, the ICE sought views from infrastructure professionals on alternative funding models, what the government should do to make the UK an attractive place to invest, and what requirements should be in place to ensure the best outcomes for the public.

Julie Wood, ICE Vice President and chair of the steering group for the paper said, “The ICE’s findings give the government clear levers to pull to spark growth through infrastructure investment. Modification to, or new funding models aren’t the answer, rather, the government needs to focus clarifying its plans, prioritising projects, and improving delivery to boost investors’ confidence. There’s also a clear desire from the public to get more information about why projects are needed, how they will be paid for, and what the benefits will be. This information should be at the heart of all infrastructure project communication.”

Polling was conducted by Opinium Research with a nationally representative sample of 2,007 UK adults in February 2025.

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