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Published: 10/03/2026
The update to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority’s (NISTA) Infrastructure Pipeline arrived as a welcome confidence boost amid ongoing oil price volatility, BCIS has said.
Commenting on the update, BCIS data services director Karl Horton said the revised Pipeline marks a step forward from the version launched last July, offering much-needed visibility of future projects and funding models under growing economic uncertainty.
‘The Pipeline is an important source of confidence at a time of continued uncertainty,’ Horton reflected.
‘Energy markets have been highly volatile in recent days, with oil prices surging to multi-year highs before falling back again. That kind of rapid movement can quickly filter through to construction supply chains, affecting the cost of materials, transport and energy-intensive processes.
‘With disruption continuing, investors and contractors are looking for a clearer picture of the projects coming forward – how they will be funded, how returns may be generated and the scale of workforce needed to deliver them. The Pipeline remains a work in progress, but the latest update moves it closer to providing the level of visibility the sector needs.’
The revised Pipeline, covering 734 planned schemes over the next decade, was published on the same day oil prices briefly reached their highest level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Brent crude climbed to $119.50 per barrel on Monday before falling sharply to around $90 as markets reacted to developments in the Middle East conflict and the outlook for global oil supplies.
While global energy markets have mechanisms to absorb short-term disruptions, prolonged conflict in the region could place upward pressure on construction input costs across several parts of the supply chain.
Horton added that the Pipeline cannot eliminate wider economic uncertainty, but said it should help to build confidence, enabling investors and businesses to make more informed decisions about future work.
Key changes include the assignment of revenue models to projects funded wholly or partially by private finance, as well as a new tool enabling future workforce demand to be projected.
New estimates suggest between 629,000 and 706,000 workers will be required to deliver planned investment over the next five years.
Total planned investment in the Pipeline has increased significantly since its launch last year, rising from around £530bn to £718bn. NISTA said this partly reflects new and updated data from a wider range of providers, including several Mayoral Combined Authorities.
Energy projects account for 51% of total planned spending, followed by transport (16%) and health and social care (11%).
The next iteration of the Pipeline is expected in six months’ time.
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