British Steel was officially taken into public ownership on July 16, 2026.

Following the formal adoption of the Steel Industry (Nationalization) Act 2026, which received Royal Assent earlier this week, the UK government assumed full control of the company from its previous owner, the Chinese firm Jingye.

The government said it would protect jobs and safeguard "a vital national capability".

The future of the steelworks, which employs roughly 2,700 people in Scunthorpe and supports many other industries in north Lincolnshire, has been dogged by uncertainty over recent years.

The UK government had taken control of British Steel's operations in........

© The News International