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Our contribution to the UK

The 2025 Strategic Defence Review defined a new defence dividend: a partnership with industry that will create jobs, wealth, and opportunity in every corner of the UK.

As a leading sovereign UK company, Babcock delivers employment and growth, but just as importantly we invest in skills development for current and future employees, as well as regeneration in our local communities, to underpin national security and deliver economic security across the country.

Delivering the defence dividend

In March 2025, Oxford Economics independently reported on the contribution Babcock makes to the UK economy, quantifying the scale of impact:

  • £4.3bn total contribution to the UK economy
  • 67,000 jobs supported (equaling one in every 550 jobs in the UK)
  • £550m spent with UK SMEs, supporting >3,800 businesses

These benefits are being felt across the country. In the South West, Babcock contributes £1.3 billion to the region’s GDP each year, sustaining a total of nearly 21,500 jobs, and in Scotland, we spend over £150 million with Scottish suppliers and contribute £500 million to
Scotland’s GDP each year.

High-quality, skilled job creation is key, but we look beyond this to deliver further benefits to our employees and communities.

We are working with local partners across the UK to drive urban regeneration and backing Britain’s small businesses by spending £360m each year and supporting 6,200 jobs with UK SMEs.

We develop our workforce’s skills through our 1,800 apprenticeships and graduate roles, but we also develop the next generation of engineers and technicians through our STEM ambassador programme, reaching 1 in every 130 UK school children every year.

But it’s not just the immediate and future workforce we are supporting as we also aim to recruit those from underrepresented groups, including bringing more women and veterans into our workforce.

This is the defence dividend in action: a harmony between national and economic security that strengthens the UK’s defence industrial base and fosters prosperity in the communities we work in.

Securing tomorrow’s dividend: our future commitments

£1.1bn contribution in UK tax revenues.

Through SME collaboration, we helped generate £360m in GDP and 6,200 jobs.

Find out more about how we’re:

  • Partnering with local government
  • Supporting investment zones
  • Bolstering small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

Plus, read our case study on how we’re helping regenerate Plymouth, with the development of a new Capability Centre in the heart of the city.

Learn more

503 graduates and 1,273 apprentices in training schemes.

Babcock STEM ambassadors reached 1 in 130 UK school children.

Find out more about how we’re:

  • Supporting early careers
  • Developing vital nuclear skills
  • Engaging on STEM
  • Investing in engineering

Plus, read our case study on how we’re helping people back into employment through our Production Support Operative programme.

Learn more

500+ reservists employed by Babcock.

Be Kind Days committed 105 full-time volunteer equivalents each year.

£1m donated to charities across the UK.

Find out more about how we’re:

  • Committing to our people
  • Volunteering in our communities
  • Bolstering UK Armed Forces
  • Championing diversity

Plus, read our case study on how we’re providing opportunities for veterans, as joint first defence employer in the Top 50 Employers of Veterans 2025.

Learn more

Oxford Economics

report by Oxford Economics into Babcock’s social and economic contribution to the UK highlights our critical role in the UK defence sector and how we support the levelling up agenda across the UK by investing and supporting employment in the most deprived areas. The report also finds that in the 2024 financial year, Babcock contributed £4.3bn in GDP to the UK economy and £1.1 billion in UK tax revenues. See below for more key findings.

The contribution of Babcock to the UK economy

Economic impact

Direct

Indirect

Induced

£4.3bn

Total UK GDP contribution

£1.4bn

£1. 3bn

£1.5bn

67,000

Total UK jobs supported

25,400

22,000

19,600

£1.1bn

Total UK tax revenues

£330m

£320m

£430m

Impact in south west England and Scotland

Scotland

£510m

total contribution to GDP

9,500

jobs supported

South West England

£1.3bn

total contribution to GDP

21,500

jobs supported

Results relate to the 2023 financial year which ran from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

Business area economic impact

Nuclear

£1.9bn

contribution to GDP

30,200

jobs supported

Marine

£1.3bn

contribution to GDP

20,400

jobs supported

Land and Aviation

£1.1bn

contribution to GDP

16,400

jobs supported

Socio-economic impact

503 graduates and 1,273 apprentices in training schemes

£337m spent with 2,220 SME suppliers.

£420m spent with suppliers in local authorities classified as a high priority” for regeneration.

3000 people directly employed and £350m spent with suppliers in the 20% most deprived local authority areas in the UK.

In the South West of England region:

£1.3bn contribution to GDP

Employed over 12,000 staff in the region in FY2024.

Paid £290m to suppliers, and £540m paid to workers in the region.

Sustained nearly 21,500 jobs in the region.

In Scotland:

£510m contribution to GDP

Employed 5,400 workers.

Paid £150m to suppliers and just under £260m to staff.

Supported 9,500 jobs either directly or through supply chain and worker-spending effects.

Oxford Economics report

Read the full Oxford Economics report to find out more about our contribution to the UK

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Infographic

View our infographic to see a visual summary of the key report findings

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Executive summary

Read the executive summary of the report for an overview of how we are creating prosperity together

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