By Tuba Ongun
The UK confirmed an £8 billion ($10.45 billion) investment from Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build, operate, and maintain data centers, according to a statement by the Treasury on Wednesday.
The investment is set to create 14,000 jobs annually and to contribute £14 billion ($18.3 billion) to the UK’s GDP over the next five years, the statement said.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves hailed the investment as a significant step toward economic revival and part of the government’s long-term plan to boost growth and make every part of Britain better off.
Reeves underlined that the government’s mission to "fix the foundations" of the economy has only just begun, acknowledging the economic challenges that still lie ahead.
The planned investment, secured during a meeting with AWS last week, is expected to support jobs in data center supply chains, including construction, facility maintenance, engineering, and telecommunications, as well as in local businesses across the UK.
According to AWS, these contributions will drive innovation, increase productivity, and support the transformation of the UK’s digital economy.