Politics · 5 September 2026
Treasury lowers public spending discount rate to help long-term infrastructure projects
Colin via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
The shift drops the appraisal rate from 3.5% to 3%, making it easier to justify building transport and housing. The government uses this calculation in its Green Book, the official manual for approving capital spending, to weigh current costs against future benefits. Officials are also piloting a broader approach to regional funding decisions across Plymouth, Liverpool, Birmingham and Port Talbot.
Reported by Reuters · How we write briefs