Manufacturers in the United Kingdom have called on the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to address rising energy and wage costs as part of the upcoming Budget, warning that failure to do so could undermine the government’s industrial growth ambitions. The manufacturing organization Make UK urged Andy Burnham and John Healey to provide concrete measures to support the sector, cautioning that without meaningful action, the government’s promises of “re-industrialisation” risk being dismissed as empty rhetoric.

Make UK highlighted a recent poll in which 47 percent of manufacturers identified the reduction of energy costs as the highest priority. The group argued that green levies currently applied to industrial energy bills should be shifted to be funded through taxation, and that recent increases in National Insurance contributions should be reconsidered to alleviate financial pressures on the sector.

Stephen Phipson, the chief executive of Make UK, emphasized the importance of delivering tangible support. He stated that if initiatives such as “re-industrialisation” and “growth in every postcode” are to succeed where previous slogans like “levelling up” and “building back better” did not fully meet expectations, the government must translate rhetoric into concrete policy. Phipson described the forthcoming Budget as a critical opportunity for government officials to demonstrate the practical implications of their commitments for manufacturers.

As the government prepares to outline its fiscal plans, the manufacturing sector’s call for targeted relief reflects ongoing concerns about the impact of operational costs on competitiveness and investment. Industry representatives maintain that addressing these financial challenges is essential to fostering sustainable economic growth and regional development across the UK.