ICE submits evidence ahead of the 2026 Autumn Budget

As part of the government’s Autumn Budget process each year, the UK Treasury asks for ‘representations’, or evidence, from organisations like the ICE about what should be in the budget.

This year, the submission sets out the ICE’s key priorities for the 2026 Autumn Budget, focused on ensuring that infrastructure remains at the heart of the government’s growth agenda.

It argues that that long-term economic growth, national resilience and successful public service delivery depend on sustained investment, stronger delivery capability and greater public engagement in infrastructure decision-making.

The ICE makes the following key recommendations:

• Protect capital investment budgets and maintain delivery of the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy. Funding for the Defence Investment Plan should complement rather than displace planned infrastructure investment.
• Protect maintenance and renewal funding.
• Commission a review of the economic value of resilience and climate adaptation.
• Fund a roving delivery body unit in NISTA to support departmental major project oversight and delivery and implement the Competition and Markets Authority’s recommendation to improve capacity for local infrastructure planning and delivery.
• Use the Budget as an opportunity to engage the public on infrastructure priorities and trade-offs.