Domain review
Infrastructure
Measures whether physical and digital systems can support the country.
Infrastructure is currently rated Strained. The domain score is driven primarily by Rail cancellations (GB), Industrial electricity price premium and Local road condition (England). Data confidence is medium across its component metrics.
Component indicators
Infrastructure · Metrics
Industrial electricity price premium
2024
Verified official value from DESNZ (UK industrial electricity premium vs IEA median), accessed 2026-08-13.
Evidence file
Industrial electricity price premium
Latest reading
2024
Scoring breakdown
Source
Energy price statistics incl. international comparisons
- Update frequency
- Quarterly/Annual
- Reliability
- high
Provenance
- Provider
- DESNZ
- Series ID
- UK industrial electricity premium vs IEA median
- Frequency
- annual
- Accessed
- 13 August 2026
Known weakness
IEA comparators and exchange-rate timing affect the premium calculation; the industrial price basket definition varies across countries making exact comparisons approximate.
Notes
Verified official value from DESNZ (UK industrial electricity premium vs IEA median), accessed 2026-08-13.
Grid connection queue delay
2025
Seed value. No published official figure exists for this indicator yet, so a provisional placeholder is shown in its place.
Evidence file
Grid connection queue delay
Latest reading
2025
Scoring breakdown
Source
Transmission connections queue data
- Update frequency
- Periodic
- Reliability
- low
Provenance
Seed value, not yet sourced from official data. Excluded from scoring.
Known weakness
NESO connections data is administrative and subject to revision as reform programmes cancel historic queue positions; data reliability is rated low due to ongoing queue reform.
Notes
Seed value. No published official figure exists for this indicator yet, so a provisional placeholder is shown in its place.
Data caveat
No published official figure exists for this indicator yet; a provisional placeholder is shown for transparency and is excluded from all domain and national scoring.
Rail cancellations (GB)
2024–25
Verified official value from ORR (trains cancelled, GB), accessed 2026-06-13.
Evidence file
Rail cancellations (GB)
Latest reading
2024–25
Scoring breakdown
Source
Passenger rail performance
- Update frequency
- Quarterly
- Reliability
- high
Provenance
- Provider
- ORR
- Series ID
- trains cancelled, GB
- Frequency
- annual
- Accessed
- 13 June 2026
Known weakness
Cancellation rates are affected by industrial action and extreme weather which are temporary rather than structural; ORR methodology distinguishes planned and unplanned cancellations with different implications.
Notes
Verified official value from ORR (trains cancelled, GB), accessed 2026-06-13.
Local road condition (England)
To Mar 2025
Verified official value from DfT (local roads needing maintenance (unclassified), England), accessed 2026-06-13.
Evidence file
Local road condition (England)
Latest reading
To Mar 2025
Scoring breakdown
Source
Road conditions in England
- Update frequency
- Annual
- Reliability
- medium
Provenance
- Provider
- DfT
- Series ID
- local roads needing maintenance (unclassified), England
- Frequency
- annual
- Accessed
- 13 June 2026
Known weakness
England-only; local authority survey response rates and road assessment methodologies are not fully standardised, and the 'maintenance consideration' threshold is a broad indicator rather than a precise engineering standard.
Notes
Verified official value from DfT (local roads needing maintenance (unclassified), England), accessed 2026-06-13.
Gigabit broadband coverage
2026
Verified official value from Ofcom (ofcom_connected_nations), accessed 2026-06-23.
Evidence file
Gigabit broadband coverage
Latest reading
2026
Scoring breakdown
Source
Connected Nations (broadband and mobile coverage)
- Update frequency
- Annual
- Reliability
- high
Provenance
- Provider
- Ofcom
- Series ID
- ofcom_connected_nations
- Frequency
- Annual
- Accessed
- 23 June 2026
Known weakness
UK; measures network coverage (full-fibre plus cable) rather than take-up, and Ofcom only began reporting gigabit-capable coverage in 2020, so the series is short.
Notes
Verified official value from Ofcom (ofcom_connected_nations), accessed 2026-06-23.
Historical values
Metric trends
Historical values
Industrial electricity price premium
Latest
63% above IEA median industrial priceIndustrial electricity price premium · % above IEA median industrial price · reported values, not stress scores.
Historical values
Grid connection queue delay
Latest
7.54median years to connection offerGrid connection queue delay · median years to connection offer · reported values, not stress scores.
Historical values
Rail cancellations (GB)
Latest
4.1% trains cancelled or part-cancelledRail cancellations (GB) · % trains cancelled or part-cancelled · reported values, not stress scores.
Historical values
Local road condition (England)
Latest
17% local roads needing maintenance considerationLocal road condition (England) · % local roads needing maintenance consideration · reported values, not stress scores.
Historical values
Gigabit broadband coverage
Latest
89% of premises with gigabit-capable broadbandGigabit broadband coverage · % of premises with gigabit-capable broadband · reported values, not stress scores.
Data provenance
Sources for this domain
| Organisation | Dataset | Type | Frequency | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | Energy price statistics incl. international comparisons | Official | Quarterly/Annual | Source ↗ |
| National Energy System Operator | Transmission connections queue data | Administrative | Periodic | Source ↗ |
| Office of Rail and Road | Passenger rail performance | Official | Quarterly | Source ↗ |
| Department for Transport | Road conditions in England | Official | Annual | Source ↗ |
| Ofcom | Connected Nations (broadband and mobile coverage) | Official | Annual | Source ↗ |
How the Infrastructure domain is scored
The domain score is the median of the 5 component metric stress scores. Using the median reduces sensitivity to a single anomalous metric.
Each metric stress score is calculated as:
metric_stress = clamp(0.6 × level_score + 0.3 × trend_score + 0.1 × volatility_score, 0, 100)The Infrastructure domain carries a weight of 3% in the national index. Full methodology: methodology page.
Sensitivity analysis
What would move this domain?
The Infrastructure domain score is most sensitive to its two highest-stress indicators. Meaningful improvement in either of the following metrics would be the most direct path to improving the domain score:
- 62
Rail cancellations (GB)
Percentage of scheduled trains in Great Britain that were cancelled or part-cancelled, measuring the reliability of the national rail network.
- 58
Industrial electricity price premium
UK industrial electricity price as a percentage above the IEA median for comparable industrial economies, measuring competitive disadvantage from energy costs.
Related analysis
Deep dives related to Infrastructure
Full fibre, gigabit and mobile availability across the UK, the premises still without a decent connection, and how it varies by nation and local area.
Punctuality and cancellations by train operator, who is most and least reliable, from the Office of Rail and Road.
What share of roads need repair, by local authority in England and council in Scotland, and where West Lothian sits.
The public charging network growing fast but unevenly, by nation and local area, with Scotland ahead and Northern Ireland far behind.
About a fifth of water lost to leaks, which companies leak most, who is improving, and where supply is least reliable. The companion to sewage.