A new £8.4 billion investment in the UK's nuclear deterrent programme is set to deliver a major boost to the economy, support tens of thousands of skilled jobs, and create new opportunities for young people across the country.
The funding will launch the fourth phase of the UK's Dreadnought Class submarine programme, with communities from Barrow to Bristol set to benefit from the extensive supply chain and long-term defence contracts associated with the project.
Speaking during a visit to Barrow, the Prime Minister highlighted the town as an example of how major government investment can transform local economies, create skilled employment opportunities and drive regeneration.
The multi-billion-pound investment is expected to strengthen Britain's national security while delivering economic benefits to communities across the UK. It forms part of the government's wider commitment to ensuring that major public projects create lasting opportunities in areas that have historically missed out on investment.
The announcement comes as the Prime Minister visits Barrow to see first-hand the impact of defence investment on the local community. Around 1,800 additional roles have already been created in the town through recent activity linked to the submarine-building programme.
The UK's Defence Nuclear Enterprise currently supports around 47,000 jobs nationwide. That figure is expected to rise to 65,000 by 2030, alongside 22,000 apprenticeships by 2035. More than 6,000 UK-based companies are already involved in the supply chain, demonstrating the significant economic impact of defence procurement across the country.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
“Keeping this country safe is the first responsibility of any government - but security is not only about what we build, it is about who builds it, and who benefits from it.
“The submarines produced in Barrow will protect Britain for decades to come, and the 47,000 jobs and apprenticeships will change lives both in this town and in dozens of places like it.
“British money, spent on British workers, British firms and British skills, in the places that were written off for forty years. To every young person across the country, I want you to know that there is a path for you into a reindustrialised Britain, and it starts with the apprenticeships we are funding through this investment today.”
Alongside the defence investment, the government has announced a new apprenticeship scheme designed to help young people across the North West access skilled employment opportunities.
The initiative will support small and medium-sized enterprises operating within the defence supply chain, helping them recruit and train 30 apprentices over the next three years. The programme will build on the apprenticeship model already established by BAE Systems in the region.
The scheme is intended to provide additional routes into skilled careers, particularly for young people who may have missed out on their preferred apprenticeship opportunities. Ministers say it marks a broader shift towards embedding skills development and social value into public procurement programmes.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“Our nuclear-armed submarines are essential to keeping the UK secure, acting as the ultimate deterrent to our adversaries in an increasingly dangerous world.
“This milestone investment breathes new life into Barrow’s historic traditions and secures our commitment to deliver Dreadnought Class submarines by backing British industry.
“Supporting thousands of skilled, local jobs, we are fusing Barrow’s proud heritage with modern technology to build our security for the future, supporting the next generation to keep our country safe as their parents and grandparents did.”
The Delivery Phase 4 (DP4) contract will see HMS Dreadnought, the first of four next-generation nuclear deterrent submarines, complete sea trials before entering service with the Royal Navy in the early 2030s.
The programme will also support progress on HMS Valiant, which will move towards sea trials, while submarines three and four continue through the construction process.
The investment follows significant progress at BAE Systems' shipyard in Barrow, the centre of UK submarine construction. Productivity at the facility has increased by 40 per cent over the past three years, with workforce growth also accelerating as demand for specialist engineering and manufacturing skills rises.
The latest announcement reinforces the government's commitment to delivering the Strategic Defence Review and maintaining the UK's nuclear deterrent under the nuclear triple lock while supporting economic growth, industrial capability and job creation across the UK.
Image credit: iStock
