Investment Incentives
The UK offers a range of incentives for companies of any nationality locating in depressed regions of the country, as long as the investment generates employment. DIT works with its partner organizations in the devolved administrations – Scottish Development International, the Welsh Government, and Invest Northern Ireland – and with London and Partners and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) throughout England–to promote each region’s particular strengths and expertise to overseas investors.
Local authorities in England and Wales also have power under the Local Government and Housing Act of 1989 to promote the economic development of their areas through a variety of assistance schemes, including the provision of grants, loan capital, property, or other financial benefit. Separate legislation, granting similar powers to local authorities, applies to Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Invest NI is the economic development agency for Northern Ireland. Invest NI provides guidance and support to businesses seeking to invest in Northern Ireland throughout the lifespan of their investment. This support includes grants for employment, R&D, training, and assistance with recruitment and real estate.
HMG offers tax incentives for businesses that purchase new:
- Electric cars and cars with zero CO2 emissions
- Plant and machinery for gas refueling stations, for example storage tanks, pumps
- Gas, biogas and hydrogen refueling equipment
- Zero-emission goods vehicles
- Equipment for electric vehicle charging points
- Plant and machinery for use in a freeport tax site
If businesses buy an eligible asset, they can deduct the full cost from their profits before tax. They cannot normally claim on items bought to lease to other people or for use within a home they let out. Most analysts suggest these incentives have helped uptake of green vehicles.
HMG’s Feed-In Tariff Scheme (FITS) ran from 2010 and was closed to new entrants in 2019. FITS helps to promote the uptake of renewable and low-carbon electricity generation technologies through payments made for the electricity a business generates and exports.
Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation
In March 2021, the UK government identified eight sites as post-Brexit freeports to spur trade, investment, innovation, and economic recovery. The eight sites are: East Midlands Airport, Felixstowe and Harwich, Humber, Liverpool City Region, Plymouth and South Devon, Solent, Thames, and Teesside. The UK government has said it will establish at least one freeport in each of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in the future. The designated areas will offer special customs and tax arrangements and additional infrastructure funding to improve transport links.
Performance and Data Localization Requirements
The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is retained in domestic UK law as the UK GDPR, though the UK has the independence to keep the framework under review. Entities based in the UK must also continue to comply with the amended version of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018, which sits alongside UK GDPR. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent data protection authority.
The UK permits transfers of data from the UK to the European Economic Area (EEA). In 2021, the EU Commission published data adequacy decisions for the UK. As a result, data transfers from the EEA to the UK are permitted in most cases. Transfers of personal data for the purposes of UK immigration control, or which would otherwise fall within the scope of the immigration exemption in the DPA 2018, are excluded from the scope of the adequacy decision.
While the UK GDPR does not impose data localization requirements, it requires controllers and processors of personal data to put in place appropriate technical and organizational measures to implement data protection effectively and safeguard individual rights. This may include an organization’s appointment of a data protection officer (DPO). A DPO is anyone an organization appoints to monitor internal compliance, inform and advise on data protection obligations, provide advice regarding Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), and act as a contact point for data subjects and the ICO. A DPO can be an existing employee or externally appointed, but must be independent, an expert in data protection, adequately resources, and report to the highest management level.
Real Property
The UK has robust real property laws stemming from legislation including the Law of Property Act 1925, the Settled Land Act 1925, the Land Charges Act 1972, the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, and the Land Registration Act 2002.
Interests in property are well enforced, and mortgages and liens have been recorded reliably since the Land Registry Act of 1862. The Land Registry is the government database where all land ownership and transaction data are held for England and Wales, and it is reliably accessible online: https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry . Scotland has its own Registers of Scotland, while Northern Ireland operates land registration through the Land and Property Services.
Long-term physical presence on non-residential property without permission is not typically considered a crime in the UK. Police take action if squatters commit other crimes when entering or staying in a property.
Intellectual Property Rights
The UK legal system provides a high level of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection. Enforcement mechanisms are comparable to those available in the United States. The UK is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The UK is also a member of the following major intellectual property protection agreements: the Bern Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Universal Copyright Convention, the Geneva Phonograms Convention, and the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The UK has signed and, through implementing various EU Directives, enshrined into UK law the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and WIPO Performance and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT), known as the internet treaties.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property rights, including patents, designs, trademarks, and copyright. The IPO web site contains comprehensive information on UK law and practice in these areas.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office
According to the Intellectual Property Crime Report (IPCR) for 2019/20, imports of counterfeit and pirated goods to the UK accounted for as much as £13.6 billion ($18.8 billion) in 2016 – the equivalent of three percent of UK imports in genuine goods. The most recent IPCR for 2020/2021 does not quantify the UK’s counterfeit imports.
The UK is not on the Special 301 Report nor on the Notorious Markets List.
For additional information about national laws and points of contact at local IP offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/ .
Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment
London houses one of the oldest and most developed financial markets in the world. London offers the full range of financial services underpinned by high quality regulation and strong standards of disclosure and transparency, a supportive market infrastructure, and a dynamic, highly skilled workforce.
The UK government is generally hospitable to foreign portfolio investment. Government policies are intended to facilitate the free flow of capital and to support the flow of resources in product and services markets. Foreign investors are able to obtain credit in local markets at normal market terms, and a wide range of credit instruments are available. The principles underlying legal, regulatory, and accounting systems are transparent, and they are consistent with international standards. In all cases, regulations have been published and are applied on a non-discriminatory basis by the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).
The London Stock Exchange is one of the most active equity markets in the world and has seen robust activity in 2021 in terms of both the number of IPOs as well as the amount of equity raised. London’s markets have historically been the main financial hub serving the EU and have the advantage of bridging the gap between the day’s trading in the Asian markets and the opening of the U.S. market. Despite the pandemic and Brexit, the UK retains its global place and has the lead in trading in areas such as foreign exchange, cross border bank lending, and international insurance premium income. Starting in early 2021, the UK government, based on the review of the London listing regime led by Lord Hill, the UK’s former European Commissioner for Financial Services, has introduced a series of reforms to the UK’s listing regime to improve its competitiveness and enhance London’s attractiveness as a listing location for innovative and high growth businesses. Further reforms are expected during 2022 based on reviews and consultations now underway. In May 2017, the LSE launched a new market for non-equity securities, known as the International Securities Market (ISM). This market is aimed at professional investors and is outside the scope of the UK Prospectus Regulation regime. The Alternative Investment Market (AIM), established in 1995 as a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, is specifically designed for smaller, rapidly expanding companies. The AIM has a more flexible regulatory system than the main market and has no minimum market capitalization requirements. Since its launch, the AIM has raised more than £68 billion ($95 billion) for more than 3,000 companies.
Money and Banking System
The UK banking sector assets totaled £10.3 trillion ($14.3 trillion) at the end of the first half of 2021, the third largest in the world and the largest in Europe. In 2020, the financial services sector contributed £164.8 billion ($221 billion) to the UK economy, accounting for 8.6 percent of total economic output. There were 1.1 million financial services jobs in the UK in Q1 2021, accounting for 3.3 percent of all jobs. The long-term impact of Brexit and the pandemic on the financial services industry has been minor so far. Some firms continue to move limited numbers of jobs outside the UK to service EU-based clients, but the UK is anticipated to remain a top financial hub.
The Bank of England (BoE) is the central bank of the UK. According to its guidelines, foreign banking institutions are legally permitted to establish operations in the UK as subsidiaries or branches. More than 200 foreign banks have branches in London, and London serves as an important center for global private and investment banking firms. Responsibilities for the prudential supervision of a foreign branch are split between the parent’s home state supervisors and the PRA. The PRA, however, expects the whole firm to meet the PRA’s threshold conditions. The PRA expects new foreign branches to focus on wholesale and corporate banking and to do so at a level that is not critical to the UK economy. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the regulator for all banks operating in the United Kingdom. For foreign bank branches operating in the UK, the FCA’s Threshold Conditions and conduct of business rules apply, including rules in areas such as anti-money laundering. Eligible deposits placed in foreign branches may be covered by the UK deposit guarantee program and therefore foreign branches may be subject to regulations concerning UK depositor protection.
There are no legal restrictions that prohibit foreign residents from opening a business bank account; setting up a business bank account as a non-resident is in principle straightforward. In practice, however, most banks will not accept applications from overseas due to fraud concerns and the additional administration costs. To open a personal bank account, an individual must at minimum present an internationally recognized proof of identification and prove residency in the UK. This is a problem for incoming FDI and American expatriates. Unless the business or the individual can prove UK residency, they will have limited banking options.
Foreign Exchange and Remittances
Foreign Exchange
The pound sterling is a free-floating currency with no restrictions on its transfer or conversion. Exchange controls restricting the transfer of funds associated with an investment into or out of the UK are not exercised.
Remittance Policies
Not applicable.
Sovereign Wealth Funds
The United Kingdom does not maintain a national wealth fund. Although there have at time been calls to turn The Crown Estate – created in 1760 by Parliament as a means of funding the British monarchy – into a wealth fund, there are no current plans to do so. Moreover, with assets of just under $20 billion, The Crown Estate would be small in relation to other national funds.
7. State-owned Enterprises (SOEs)
There are 20 partially or fully state-owned enterprises in the UK. These enterprises range from large, well-known companies to small trading funds. Since privatizing the oil and gas industry, the UK has not established any new energy-related state-owned enterprises or resource funds.
Privatization Program
The privatization of state-owned utilities in the UK is now essentially complete. With regard to future investment opportunities, the few remaining government-owned enterprises or government shares in other utilities are likely to be sold off to the private sector when market conditions improve.
8. Responsible Business Conduct
Businesses in the UK are accountable for a due-diligence approach to responsible business conduct (RBC), or corporate social responsibility (CSR), in areas such as human resources, environment, sustainable development, and health and safety practices – through a wide variety of existing guidelines at national, EU, and global levels. There is a strong awareness of CSR principles among UK businesses, promoted by UK business associations such as the Confederation of British Industry and the UK government.
The British government fairly and uniformly enforces laws related to human rights, labor rights, consumer protection, environmental protection, and other statutes intended to protect individuals from adverse business impacts. The UK government adheres to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. It is committed to the promotion and implementation of these Guidelines and encourages UK multinational enterprises to adopt high corporate standards involving all aspects of the Guidelines. The UK has established a National Contact Point (NCP) to promote the Guidelines and to facilitate the resolution of disputes that may arise within that context. The NCP is part of the Department for International Trade. A Steering Board monitors the work of the UK NCP and provides strategic guidance. It is composed of representatives of relevant government departments and four external members nominated by the Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry, the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and the NGO community.
The results of a UK government consultation on CSR can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/300265/bis-14-651-good-for-business-and-society-government-response-to-call-for-views-on-corporate-responsibility.pdf.
Information on UK regulations and policies relating to the procurement of supplies, services and works for the public sector, and the relevance of promoting RBC, are found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-sector-procurement-policy.
Additional Resources
Department of State
Department of the Treasury
Department of Labor
Climate Issues
In October 2021, the UK government introduced its Net Zero Strategy (NZS), which comprehensively sets out UK government plans to cut emissions, seize green economic opportunities, and use private investment to achieve a net zero economy by 2050. The NZS allocates £7.8 billion ($10.5 billion) in new spending and aims to leverage up to £90 billion ($118 billion) of private investment by 2030. In its latest spending review, Her Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) estimated that net-zero spending between 2021-22 and 2024-25 would total £25.5 billion ($34.5 billion). HMG has committed to several policies in its NZS, including:
1. Quadruple offshore wind capacity by 2030
2. 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030
3. End the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars and vans by 2030
4. Install 600,000 heat pumps in homes by 2028
5. Capture and store 10Mt of CO2 per year by 2030
6. Restoring approximately 280,000 hectares of peat in England by 2050 and trebling woodland creation rates in England, contributing to the UK’s overall target of increasing planting rates to 30,000 hectares per year by the end of the Parliament
7. Eco-labelling regulation introduction by the late 2020s
8. Introduce Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), a spatial planning tool for nature, which allows local government and communities to identify priorities and opportunities for nature recovery and nature-based solutions across England
HMG’s public procurement policy states that contracting authorities should consider 1) creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills; 2) tackling climate change and reducing waste; 3) improving supplier diversity, innovation and resilience, alongside any additional local priorities in their procurement activities.
Through the Greening Finance Roadmap, HMT outlines the UK government’s intent to implement a detailed sovereign green taxonomy, which is expected to be published by the end of 2022, along with sustainable disclosure requirements that would serve as an integrated framework for sustainability throughout the UK economy.
Environment
The UK ranked fourth in the Global Energy Innovation Index (GEII), five spaces higher than its 2016 score. The GEII is available here: https://itif.org/publications/2021/10/18/2021-global-energy-innovation-index-national-contributions-global-clean
The UK ranked 17th in the Green Future Index (GFI), which noted that 40 percent of its energy is derived from renewable sources. The GFI is available here: https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/01/25/1016648/green-future-index/
The UK ranked 23rd in the Green Growth Index (GGI), a fall of eight spaces from its 2005 ranking. The GGI is available here: https://greengrowthindex.gggi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2020-Green-Growth-Index.pdf
9. Corruption
Although isolated instances of bribery and corruption have occurred in the UK, U.S. investors have not identified corruption of public officials as a factor in doing business in the UK.
The Bribery Act 2010 amended and reformed UK criminal law and provided a modern legal framework to combat bribery in the UK and internationally. The scope of the law is extra-territorial. Under the Act, a relevant person or company can be prosecuted for bribery if the crime is committed abroad. The Act applies to UK citizens, residents, and companies established under UK law. In addition, non-UK companies can be held liable for a failure to prevent bribery if they do business in the UK.
Section 9 of the Act requires the UK government to publish guidance on procedures that commercial organizations can put in place to prevent bribery on their behalf. It creates the following offenses: active bribery, described as promising or giving a financial or other advantage; passive bribery, described as agreeing to receive or accepting a financial or other advantage; bribery of foreign public officials; and the failure of commercial organizations to prevent bribery by an associated person (corporate offense). This corporate criminal offense places a burden of proof on companies to show they have adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery ( http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/business-integrity/bribery-act/adequate-procedures-guidance/ ). To avoid corporate liability for bribery, companies must make sure that they have strong, up-to-date and effective anti-bribery policies and systems. It is a corporate criminal offense to fail to prevent bribery by an associated person. The briber must be “associated” with the commercial organization, a term which will apply to, amongst others, the organization’s agents, employees, and subsidiaries. A foreign corporation which “carries on a business, or part of a business” in the UK may therefore be guilty of the UK offense even if, for example, the relevant acts were performed by the corporation’s agent outside the UK. The Act does not extend to political parties and it is unclear whether it extends to family members of public officials.
The UK formally ratified the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery in 1998 and ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption in 2006.
Resources to Report Corruption
UK law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government routinely implements these laws effectively. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is an independent government department, operating under the superintendence of the Attorney General with jurisdiction in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It investigates and prosecutes those who commit serious or complex fraud, bribery, and corruption, and pursues them and others for the proceeds of their crime.
All allegations of bribery of foreign public officials by British nationals or companies incorporated in the United Kingdom—even in relation to conduct that occurred overseas—should be reported to the SFO for possible investigation. When the SFO receives a report of possible corruption, its intelligence team makes an assessment and decides if the matter is best dealt with by the SFO itself or passed to a law enforcement partner organization, such as the Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit of the City of London Police (OACU) or the International Corruption Unit of the National Crime Agency. Allegations can be reported in confidence using the SFO’s secure online reporting form: https://www.sfo.gov.uk/contact-us/reporting-serious-fraud-bribery-corruption/ .
Details can also be sent to the SFO in writing:
SFO Confidential
Serious Fraud Office
2-4 Cockspur Street
London, SW1Y 5BS
United Kingdom
In March 2022, the UK strengthened its Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) regime to enable law enforcement to investigate the origin of property and recover the proceeds of crime. A UWO is an investigatory order placed on a respondent whose assets appear disproportionate to their income to explain the origins of their wealth.
A UWO requires a person who is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP) or reasonably suspected of involvement in, or of being connected to a person involved in, serious crime to explain the origin of assets (minimum combined value of £50,000) that appear to be disproportionate to their known lawfully obtained income.
A UWO is not (by itself) a power to recover assets. However, any response from a UWO can be used in subsequent civil recovery proceedings.
A failure to respond will mean that the assets can be made subject to civil recovery action under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
A person can also be found guilty of an offence if they provide false or misleading information in response to an UWO.
10. Political and Security Environment
The UK’s terrorism threat level was at the third-highest rating (“substantial”) for most of 2021. On February 4, the UK lowered the threat level from “severe” to “substantial,” indicating a terrorist attack remains “likely” rather than “highly likely,” citing a “significant reduction in the momentum of attacks in Europe.” On November 15, 2021, following the October 15, 2021 stabbing of David Amess MP and the November 14, 2021 Liverpool bombing, the UK increased the threat level to “severe” due to an overall change in the threat picture. UK officials categorize Islamist terrorism as the greatest threat to national security, though they recognize the growing threat of racially and ethnically motivated terrorism (REMT), also referred to as “extreme right-wing” terrorism. On November 18, the Home Office reported that in the year ending March 2021, the UK’s Prevent counterterrorism program received more referrals related to “extreme right-wing” radicalization (1,229) than “Islamist” radicalization (1,064) for the first time. From March 2017 to December 2021, police and security services disrupted 32 plots, including 18 related to Islamist extremism; 12 to “extreme right-wing” extremism; and two to “left, anarchist, or single-issue terrorism.”
On February 9, 2022, the UK Government passed legislation designed to strengthen the political stability of Northern Ireland’s devolved Government. This legislation allows the Northern Ireland Executive cabinet and the NI Assembly to continue to function for an extended period should either the First Minister or deputy First Minister resign from their positions in the Executive. Northern Ireland’s terrorist threat level rating was reduced to substantial from severe in March 2022.
Environmental advocacy groups in the UK have been involved with numerous protests against a variety of business activities, including: airport expansion, bypass roads, offshore structures, wind farms, civilian nuclear power plants, and petrochemical facilities. These protests tend not to be violent but can be disruptive, with the aim of obtaining maximum media exposure.
Brexit has waned as a source of political instability. Nonetheless, the June 2016 EU referendum campaign was characterized by significant polarization and widely varying perspectives across the country. Differing views about the future UK-EU relationship continue to polarize political opinion across the UK. Some Scottish political leaders have indicated that the UK leaving the EU may provide justification to pursue another Referendum on Scotland leaving the UK.
Implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement has contributed to heightened political and sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Protocol, part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, entered into force on January 1, 2021. The Protocol allows businesses based in Northern Ireland to export free from customs declarations, rules of origin certificates, and non-tariff barriers on the sale of goods to both Great Britain and the EU. Under the terms of the Protocol, Northern Ireland remains a part of the UK customs territory but is subject to EU standards and customs regulations as far as trade in goods is concerned. Goods shipped from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are subject to customs declarations but are tariff free unless deemed “at risk” of transshipment and use within the EU. Goods shipped to Northern Ireland from outside the EU are subject to the UK Global Tariff, unless deemed “at risk” of onward travel into the EU – in which case they would be liable to the EU’s Common Customs Tariff (CCT). Northern Ireland is included in the territorial scope of any free trade agreement the UK concludes with other countries, provided that such an agreement does not prejudice the application of the Protocol. Northern Ireland remains in the UK VAT area but will align with EU VAT rules; lower VAT rates or exemptions in the Republic of Ireland may be applied in Northern Ireland.
Checks on goods entering Northern Ireland, both physical and documentary, are conducted at the region’s ports and airports, not at the land border with the Republic of Ireland, where goods flow freely between the two jurisdictions. However, not all Protocol checks have yet been fully implemented because of temporary grace periods implemented by the UK in coordination with the EU, which remain in force. The EU and UK continue to discuss potential changes to the Protocol to ease the flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The UK formally departed the bloc on January 31, 2020, following the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, and completed its transition out of the EU on December 31, 2020.
The Conservative Party, traditionally the UK’s pro-business party, was, until the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on implementing Brexit, a process many international businesses oppose because they expect it to make trade in goods, services, workers, and capital with the UK’s largest trading partners more problematic and costly, at least in the short term. In addition, the Conservative Party-led government has implemented a Digital Services Tax (DST), a two percent tax on the revenues of predominantly American search engines, social media services and online marketplaces which derive value from UK users and has legislated for an increase in the Corporation Tax rate from 19 percent to 25 percent. The Labour Party’s leader, Sir Keir Starmer, is widely acknowledged to be more economically centrist than his predecessor. In his first major economic speech following his election as Labour Party leader, Starmer declared his intention to repair and improve the party’s relationship with the business community but has proposed few policies as the UK’s political system contended with the COVID-19 crisis.
11. Labor Policies and Practices
The UK’s labor force comprises more than 34.7 million workers. The employment rate between November 2021 and January 2022 was 75.6 percent, with 29.7 million workers employed full-time. There were 1.3 million workers unemployed in January 2022, or 3.9 percent. The female employment rate was 72.2 percent.
The most serious issue facing British employers is a skills gap derived from a high-skill, high-tech economy outpacing the educational system’s ability to deliver work-ready graduates. The government has placed a strong emphasis on improving the British educational system in terms of greater emphasis on science, research and development, and entrepreneurial skills, but any positive reforms will necessarily lag in delivering benefits. The UK’s skills base stands around the OECD average and continues to improve.
As of 2020, approximately 23.7 percent of UK workers belonged to a union. Public-sector workers represented a much higher share of union members at 52 percent, while the private sector was 13 percent. Manufacturing, transport, and distribution trades are highly unionized. Unionization of the workforce in the UK is prohibited only in the armed forces, public-sector security services, and police forces. Union membership has risen slightly in recent years, despite a previous downward trend.
In the 2019, a total of 234,000 working days were lost from 35 official labor disputes. The Trades Union Congress (TUC), the British nation-wide labor federation, encourages union-management cooperation.
On April 1, 2022, the UK raised the minimum wage to £9.50 ($12.47) an hour for workers ages 23 and over. The increased wage impacts about 2 million workers across Britain.
The 2006 Employment Equality (Age) Regulations make it unlawful to discriminate against workers, employees, job seekers, and trainees because of age, whether young or old. The regulations cover recruitment, terms and conditions, promotions, transfers, dismissals, and training. They do not cover the provision of goods and services. The regulations also removed the upper age limits on unfair dismissal and redundancy. It sets a national default retirement age of 65, making compulsory retirement below that age unlawful unless objectively justified. Employees have the right to request to work beyond retirement age and the employer has a duty to consider such requests.
HMG brought forward new immigration rules on January 1, 2021. The new rules have wide-ranging implications for foreign employees, students, and EU citizens. The new rules are points-based, meaning immigrants need to attain a certain number of points in order to be awarded a visa. The previous cap on visas has been abolished. Applicants will need to be able to speak English and be paid the relevant salary threshold by their sponsor. This will either be the general salary threshold of £25,600 ($33,600) or the going rate for their job, whichever is higher. If applicants earn less–but no less than £20,480 ($26,880)–they may still be able to apply by “trading” points on specific characteristics against their salary. For example, if they have a job offer in a shortage occupation or have a PhD relevant to the job. More details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-immigration-system-what-you-need-to-know
12. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Other Investment Insurance Programs
The DFC does not prioritize investments in the UK. Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) financing is available to support major investment projects in the UK. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Ex-Im Bank and its UK equivalent, the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD), enables bilateral U.S.-UK consortia intending to invest in third countries to seek investment funding support from the country of the larger partner. This removes the need for each of the two parties to seek financing from their respective credit guarantee organizations.
13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics
Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/Economy
|
Host Country Statistical source* |
USG or international statistical source |
USG or International Source of Data: BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, Other |
Economic Data |
Year |
Amount |
Year |
Amount |
|
Host Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($M USD) |
2018 |
$2,910,000 |
2019 |
$2,880,000 |
https://data.worldbank.org/country/united-kingdom |
Foreign Direct Investment |
Host Country Statistical source* |
USG or international statistical source |
USG or international Source of data: BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, Other |
U.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, stock positions) |
2020 |
$629,016 |
2020 |
$890,086 |
BEA data available at https://apps.bea.gov/international/
factsheet/ |
Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions) |
2020 |
$524,906 |
2020 |
$446,179 |
BEA data available at https://www.selectusa.gov/country-fact-sheet/United-Kingdom |
Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDP |
2020 |
19% |
2020 |
16.2% |
Calculated using respective GDP and FDI data |
Table 3: Sources and Destination of FDI
Direct Investment from/in Counterpart Economy Data (through 2020) |
From Top Five Sources/To Top Five Destinations (US Dollars, Millions) |
Inward Direct Investment |
Outward Direct Investment |
Total Inward |
$2,532 |
Proportion |
Total Outward |
$2,178 |
Proportion |
USA |
$628.80 |
24.8% |
USA |
$523.70 |
24.8% |
Netherlands |
$262.90 |
10.4% |
Netherlands |
$243.50 |
11.2% |
Belgium |
$172 |
6.8% |
Luxembourg |
$130 |
6% |
Germany |
$139.90 |
5.5% |
France |
$112.30 |
5.2% |
Japan |
$134.30 |
5.3% |
Spain |
110.7 |
5.1% |
“0” reflects amounts rounded to +/- USD 500,000. |
14. Contact for More Information
U.S. Embassy London
Economic Section
33 Nine Elms Ln
London SW11 7US
United Kingdom
+44 (0)20-7499-9000
LondonEconomic@state.gov