As the UK sharpens its focus on regional development and global competitiveness, its partnership with Guernsey has never been more important.
The United Kingdom’s financial and related professional services industry is a strategic national asset. According to PwC’s report, ‘No time to lose: Reasserting UK leadership in financial and related professional services,’ the sector provides one in every 13 jobs, with two thirds of those roles based outside London across the nations and regions. It generates more than 11% of national economic output and contributes £12 in every £100 of tax paid. It underpins infrastructure, defence, energy security and the ambitions of households and small businesses throughout the country.
The report delivers a clear message: the UK cannot afford complacency. However, the opportunity is significant. PwC’s modelling suggests that if the UK acts decisively on five imperatives for competitiveness – leading in financial technology, resetting regulation and tax, deepening international trade and investment, connecting capital to national priorities and building a nation of investors – the industry could generate up to £53 billion in additional economic output by 2035. This is equivalent to a 1.6% annual growth rate in industry Gross Value Added, alongside corresponding gains in tax revenues and exports.
Delivering that growth will require coordinated action across government, regulators and industry. It will also depend on strong collaboration with trusted international partners. Guernsey is one such partner, playing a practical and measurable role in supporting UK growth and regional development.
Guernsey oversees more than £1 trillion in the investment sector and acts as a conduit for global capital into UK regions and industries. The island channels £58 billion of international capital investment into the UK, and it is estimated Guernsey funds could channel nearly £23 billion in additional private finance into the UK by 2029, surpassing the UK National Wealth Fund’s £22 billion private financing target (source: Frontier Economics Report Guernsey 2025).
These figures represent real projects and tangible outcomes. They support housing developments, renewable energy schemes, transport infrastructure, digital connectivity and business expansion across the UK. They help companies to manage risk efficiently and give international investors' confidence that their capital will be deployed in a stable, well-regulated environment.
Guernsey’s contribution is examined further in a separate Channel Islands-focused paper developed by TheCityUK. That paper explores how the islands strengthen the UK’s economic resilience and global competitiveness by enabling capital to flow efficiently into key sectors of the economy.
Within this, Guernsey’s individual role is clear. Its expertise in investment and funds, insurance, fiduciary, banking and pensions, alongside a regulatory framework that supports innovation through mechanisms such as its sandbox, provides specialist and forward-looking structures that attract international capital, including investment aligned to digital finance and emerging technologies. More than 72% of the island’s foreign direct investment flows directly to the UK, underlining the depth and focus of the relationship.
Guernsey and the UK have a complementary and symbiotic relationship. Guernsey operates within the wider British family, aligned to the UK’s commitment to high regulatory standards, transparency and the rule of law. By attracting and structuring global investment, the island amplifies the UK’s international reach and reinforces its position as an open, globally connected financial centre.
As the UK seeks to mobilise capital towards net zero, energy security and sustainable infrastructure, the ability to structure credible, transparent sustainable investment vehicles will be increasingly important. Guernsey’s established expertise in sustainable finance and green fund structures provides further support to the UK’s long-term economic and environmental objectives.
The strength of this partnership was reinforced recently when Miles Celic, Chief Executive of TheCityUK, visited Guernsey. His meetings with representatives from across the island’s financial services industry, including The International Stock Exchange and local associations, focused on how Guernsey and the UK can continue working together to support economic resilience and long-term growth.
The timing of that visit, alongside the launch of the PwC report, reflected a shared understanding that clarity, cooperation and pace are now essential. In a world shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, technological change and shifting trade dynamics, financial centres that collaborate effectively will be best placed to attract capital and talent.
For the UK’s regional development agenda, Guernsey’s role is particularly relevant. Two thirds of financial and related professional services jobs are outside London. Growth in cities and regions across the UK depends on access to international investment and specialist financial structures. Guernsey’s ability to connect global investors with UK opportunities helps ensure that capital is not concentrated but distributed across projects and businesses throughout the nations and regions, supporting skilled employment and long-term prosperity.
As the UK seeks to connect capital to national priorities – from infrastructure renewal to sustainable technologies – efficient cross-border investment frameworks will be critical. Guernsey’s long-standing focus on stability, innovation and regulatory certainty provides confidence for investors at a time when predictability is highly valued.
At a moment when the UK must reassert its leadership in financial and related professional services, nurturing this partnership is essential. By continuing to collaborate with purpose and clarity, we can ensure that global capital remains hard at work, delivering long-term, impactful investment and fuelling the UK’s economic future.
