DBT inward investment results 2024 to 2025 (HTML version)
Published 26 June 2025
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Foreign direct investment (FDI) highlights
During the 2024 to 2025 financial year: 1,375 FDI projects landed in the UK.
69,355 new jobs were created in the UK through FDI.
10,195 existing jobs in the UK were safeguarded through FDI.
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
FDI projects
Figure 1: Number of FDI projects which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
In 2024 to 2025, 1,375 FDI projects landed in the UK.
| Financial Year | FDI projects |
|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 1,538 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 1,589 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1,654 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 1,555 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 1,375 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Between 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025, the number of FDI projects which landed in the UK decreased by 12%.
See the technical annex via the DBT inward investment results 2024 to 2025 landing page for details on definitions, methodology and interpreting % changes.
DBT support for FDI projects
Figure 2: Number of DBT-supported FDI projects which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
DBT supported 836 of the FDI projects which landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025.
| Financial Year | DBT-supported FDI projects | FDI projects without DBT support | Total FDI Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 1,131 | 407 | 1,538 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 1,174 | 415 | 1,589 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1,083 | 571 | 1,654 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 1,018 | 537 | 1,555 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 836 | 539 | 1,375 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Figure 3: Percentage that DBT-supported FDI projects make of all FDI which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
61% of FDI projects which landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025 were supported by DBT.
| Financial Year | DBT-supported FDI projects | FDI projects without DBT support | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 74% | 26% | 100% |
| 2021 to 2022 | 74% | 26% | 100% |
| 2022 to 2023 | 65% | 35% | 100% |
| 2023 to 2024 | 65% | 35% | 100% |
| 2024 to 2025 | 61% | 39% | 100% |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
The estimated total economic impact of the DBT-supported FDI projects which landed in 2024 to 2025 was £6,041 million. See the technical annex via the inward investment results landing page for details and methodology.
New and existing investors
Figure 4: Number of FDI projects from new and existing UK investors which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
553 of the FDI projects that landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025 were from new investors.
| Financial Year | FDI projects from new investors | FDI projects from existing investors | Total FDI Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 596 | 942 | 1,538 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 596 | 993 | 1,589 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 711 | 943 | 1,654 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 611 | 944 | 1,555 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 553 | 822 | 1,375 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Figure 5: Percentage that FDI projects from new and existing UK investors make of all FDI which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
40% of the FDI projects that landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025 were from new investors.
| Financial Year | FDI projects from new investors | FDI projects from existing investors | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 39% | 61% | 100% |
| 2021 to 2022 | 38% | 62% | 100% |
| 2022 to 2023 | 43% | 57% | 100% |
| 2023 to 2024 | 39% | 61% | 100% |
| 2024 to 2025 | 40% | 60% | 100% |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Types of FDI
Figure 6: Number of the 3 types of FDI projects which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
815 of the FDI projects that landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025 were new investment projects.
| Financial Year | New investment | Expansions (including retentions) | Mergers and acquisitions (including joint ventures) | Total FDI projects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 888 | 477 | 173 | 1,538 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 907 | 466 | 216 | 1,589 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1,048 | 407 | 199 | 1,654 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 1,023 | 357 | 175 | 1,555 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 815 | 373 | 187 | 1,375 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Between 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025, the number of the 3 types of FDI projects which landed in the UK:
- decreased by 20% for new investment projects
- increased by 4% for expansion projects (including retentions)
- increased by 7% for mergers and acquisitions (including joint ventures)
New and safeguarded jobs
Figure 7: Number of new jobs created and existing jobs safeguarded through FDI projects which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
69,355 new jobs were created and 10,195 existing jobs were safeguarded through FDI projects which landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025.
| Financial Year | Jobs created by FDI projects | Jobs safeguarded by FDI projects |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 55,319 | 18,187 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 84,759 | 7,765 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 79,549 | 6,646 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 71,478 | 11,613 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 69,355 | 10,195 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Between 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025, the number of new jobs created through FDI projects which landed in the UK decreased by 3% and the number of existing jobs safeguarded through FDI which landed in the UK decreased by 12%.
FDI projects and jobs in 2024 to 2025 by UK region
Figure 8: Number of FDI projects and the jobs created and safeguarded through them in 2024 to 2025, by UK region
The West Midlands saw the most FDI projects outside of London, and the North West saw the most new jobs created outside of London in 2024 to 2025.
| Region | FDI projects | Jobs created by FDI projects | Jobs safeguarded by FDI projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 63 | 2,064 | c |
| North West | 127 | 7,047 | 824 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 108 | 4,382 | 351 |
| East Midlands | 66 | 2,805 | c |
| West Midlands | 130 | 5,821 | c |
| East of England | 39 | 1,676 | c |
| London | 427 | 22,932 | c |
| South East | 85 | 3,127 | 924 |
| South West | 55 | 2,517 | c |
| Scotland | 128 | 4,348 | 924 |
| Wales | 65 | 2,470 | 1,652 |
| Northern Ireland | 37 | 946 | c |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
c: Indicates data is disclosive.
Note: 45 multiple location projects associated with 9,220 new jobs and [c] safeguarded jobs are not included.
Top source markets for FDI projects in 2024 to 2025
Figure 9: Number of FDI projects and the jobs created and safeguarded through them in 2024 to 2025, by source market
United States was the top source market for FDI in 2024 to 2025.
| Country | FDI projects | Jobs created by FDI projects | Jobs safeguarded by FDI projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 329 | 14,213 | 1,943 |
| India | 106 | 6,067 | c |
| Germany | 83 | 5,396 | 340 |
| France | 68 | 5,356 | c |
| Sweden | 58 | 1,680 | c |
| Netherlands | 52 | 2,630 | c |
| Ireland | 49 | 3,196 | c |
| Australia | 44 | 2,065 | c |
| Canada | 43 | 1,701 | c |
| Japan | 41 | 1,127 | c |
| China | 38 | 1,661 | c |
| Italy | 38 | 1,916 | c |
| Switzerland | 38 | 1,106 | c |
| Spain | 34 | 750 | c |
| Denmark | 30 | 471 | c |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
c: Indicates data is disclosive.
Note: 324 FDI projects associated with 20,020 new jobs and 3,395 safeguarded jobs relate to countries not shown.
FDI projects and jobs in 2024 to 2025 by sector
Figure 10: Number of FDI projects and the jobs created and safeguarded through them in 2024 to 2025, by sector
The software and computer services sector saw the most FDI projects and the environment, infrastructure and transportation sector saw the most new jobs created in 2024 to 2025.
| Sector | FDI projects | Jobs created by FDI projects | Jobs safeguarded by FDI projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced engineering and supply chain | 159 | 4,387 | 2,745 |
| Aerospace | 37 | 1,472 | c |
| Automotive | 61 | 1,706 | 633 |
| Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals | 42 | 1,153 | c |
| Business and consumer services | 73 | 5,572 | c |
| Chemicals and agriculture | c | c | c |
| Creative and media | 39 | 1,572 | c |
| Electronics and communications | 36 | 3,062 | c |
| Environment, infrastructure and transportation | 150 | 14,797 | 2,760 |
| Extraction industries | c | c | c |
| Financial services | 189 | 8,245 | c |
| Food and drink | 86 | 4,679 | 947 |
| Life sciences | 69 | 1,613 | c |
| Renewable energy | 51 | 2,717 | c |
| Software and computer services | 257 | 11,376 | c |
| Wholesale | 86 | 6,242 | c |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
c: Indicates data is disclosive.
Sectors are built up from categories defined in DBT’s internal database. The results tables show the breakdowns in each grouping and the technical annex gives more detail on definitions and methodology.
DBT’s Global Entrepreneur Programme
A subset of the DBT-supported FDI projects are related to DBT’s Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP).
This programme attracts and enables high potential, internationally mobile entrepreneurs and their fast growth, innovation-rich companies to scale and internationalise from a UK global headquarters.
Figure 11: Number of GEP FDI projects which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025 and the jobs they created
There were 70 GEP FDI projects which landed in the UK in 2024 to 2025.
| Financial Year | GEP FDI projects | Jobs created by GEP FDI projects |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 69 | 1,647 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 68 | 1,649 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 109 | 2,544 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 81 | 2,015 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 70 | 1,624 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Between 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025, the number of GEP FDI projects and associated jobs created decreased by:
- 14% for GEP FDI projects
- 19% for new jobs created
Net zero
The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution sets out the approach government will take to build back better, support green jobs, and accelerate our path to net zero.
Since the 2021 to 2022 financial year, DBT has reported the number of investment projects (both FDI and non-FDI) which align with the Ten Point Plan and the new jobs that these projects have created. For information on how alignment to the Ten Point Plan is verified, see the technical annex via the DBT inward investment results 2024 to 2025 landing page.
Figure 12: Number of investment projects which aligned with the Ten Point Plan and landed each financial year between 2021 to 2022 and 2024 to 2025 and the jobs they created
106 investment projects which landed in 2024 to 2025 were aligned with the Ten Point Plan.
| Financial Year | All projects | New jobs |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 to 2022 | 91 | 8,804 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 211 | 20,635 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 205 | 15,229 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 106 | 7,961 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Research and Development
Research and Development (R&D) projects relate to those associated with an activity undertaken for the purpose of discovering or developing new knowledge and/or technologies, products and services. Figures contain both FDI and non-FDI projects. See technical annex for full details.
Since the 2022 to 2023 financial year, DBT has reported the number of investment projects (both FDI and non-FDI) that classify as R&D and the new jobs that these projects have created.
Figure 13: Number of investment projects which categorise as R&D and landed each financial year between 2022 to 2023 and 2024 to 2025 and the jobs they created
There were 308 R&D projects which landed in 2024 to 2025.
| Financial Year | All projects | New jobs |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 to 2023 | 441 | 19,092 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 414 | 18,527 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 308 | 22,394 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Venture capital and large capital
DBT measure the value of 2 specific types of capital investment: venture capital and large capital. Some of this investment meets the criteria to be classified as FDI but some is either non-FDI capital investment or commitments to invest. See technical annex via the inward investment results landing page for full details.
Venture capital
Venture capital attracts overseas investment from corporate venture capitalists and venture capital funds into high-value start-ups, growth companies and funds.
Figure 14: Value of the venture capital investment projects which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
Venture capital investment worth £4,355 million landed in 2024 to 2025.
| Financial Year | Investments (£ millions) |
|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 773 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 960 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1,239 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 860 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 4,355 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
Large capital
Large capital involves overseas institutional investment into large capital projects in real estate, infrastructure and energy.
Figure 15: Value of the large capital investment projects and commitments to invest which landed in the UK each financial year between 2020 to 2021 and 2024 to 2025
Large capital investments worth £23,827 million landed in 2024 to 2025.
| Financial Year | Investments (£ millions) | Commitments to invest (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 3,821 | 7,503 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 4,683 | 13,911 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 17,253 | 25,777 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 7,049 | 33,796 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 23,827 | 31,727 |
Source: Department for Business and Trade.
How the Department for Business and Trade can help you
Whether you are a start-up, a medium-sized or family business, a corporate or an institutional investor, Department for Business and Trade (DBT) supports the realisation of your international business ambitions.
DBT offers flexible support packages for every aspect of your investment. Our service does not stop once you are based in the UK, it continues as your business expands internationally. We have helped thousands of businesses locate and expand in the UK. We listen to their feedback to help strengthen and improve our services.
Business.gov.uk has many resources and teams dedicated to helping overseas businesses, investors and buyers successfully do business in the UK as well as supporting businesses and exporters based in the UK. DBT’s services to international investors in the UK are free of charge and commercial-in-confidence.
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Contact DBT
Got a question about these statistics? Get in touch with DBT’s Investment Performance Team.
Contact DBT’s Investment Performance Team
Disclaimer
Whereas every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate, the Department for Business and Trade does not accept liability for any errors, omissions or misleading statements, and no warranty is given or responsibility accepted as to the standing of any individual, firm, company or other organisation mentioned.