Oxford has been ranked fifth out of 48 UK locations in the latest Investor Confidence Index. The index is published by law firm Irwin Mitchell and produced with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).
It appears in Irwin Mitchell's Autumn/Winter 2026 report, “What is driving investment in the UK?”. Cities are ranked on ten economic indicators across three pillars: growth potential, local skills and local infrastructure. London, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester and Birmingham complete the top five with Oxford.
First for infrastructure
Oxford ranks first of all 48 locations on the Local Infrastructure pillar, with a score of 71.3. It shares the highest score in the index for road capacity relative to population.
Research-led investment
The report says Oxford's "investment case rests on research intensity rather than economic weight". It adds that the city "anchors one corner of the Golden Triangle, and its life sciences and deep technology spinouts continue to draw capital." It describes Oxford's workforce as highly qualified.
The report names Oxford, alongside Cambridge and London, as a key UK location for US life sciences investors including Moderna, BioNTech, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Amgen.
Lab space available now, at half London’s rent
The report finds that prime laboratory rents in London reached £140 per square foot in Q2 2026, double the level in Oxford.
Space is also readily available. According to property consultancy DTRE, the Oxfordshire market had 588,000 sq. ft of laboratory supply at the end of June 2026.
The Oxford–Cambridge corridor
Oxford is also part of the wider Oxford–Cambridge corridor. The report says the corridor hosts around 3,000 knowledge-intensive firms generating £45 billion in annual turnover and employing 152,000 people.
The UK government has recently confirmed its continued support for the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor as a key part of its growth agenda. Lord Vallance, the corridor’s appointed champion, said the priority now is turning more of the region’s innovation into companies, jobs, and growth.
A strong case for Oxfordshire
The index confirms Oxford as one of the UK’s leading locations for investment. Its research base, first-ranked infrastructure and highly qualified workforce set it apart from much larger cities.
Those strengths reach well beyond the city. Across Oxfordshire, investors can draw on the region’s universities, science parks and innovation campuses. Laboratory space is available now at a fraction of London’s cost. For international businesses in life sciences, deep tech and other research-intensive sectors, Oxfordshire offers access to world-class research, talent and ready-to-occupy space within the Golden Triangle.