One of the chief benefits of British imperial rule was that it allowed a sub-section of society to gain the benefits of Western education. In turn, this allowed for the development of a politically-conscious middle-class that, in due course, would spearhead various independence movements. So in other words, the British were, inadvertently, digging their own graves, so to speak, by providing a select group of the indigenous population with the education befitting of English gentlemen.
The British were undoubtedly aware of what such a provision might lead to. But in reality they had little choice. With the decline in power of traditional rulers—such as Maharajas in India—the colonial authorities needed an alternative indigenous elite on whom they could rely in order to help govern the Empire. This created the space for the development of a new indigenous elite, whose authority was based on Western education rather than ancient custom.
In practical terms, this gave many young men an opportunity they would never otherwise have had. It also, as we have seen, gave certain sections of the indigenous population the intellectual tools to be able to challenge the continuation of colonial rule. The logic of the situation was compelling indeed: If the British were wiling to give some of their colonial subjects the benefits of Western education, why couldn't they go one better and give them political power too? Ultimately, this question would prove to be unanswerable for the British.
Before looking at the benefits, it is important to acknowledge that none of them should be understood to outweigh the negatives that accompanied imperial rule. Like all modern empires, the British Empire was built upon the extraction of natural resources and labor--in other words, wealth--from its subjects. On an ideological level, it was based on the highly-racialized notion that English people had the right to rule over other peoples who were incapable of self-rule. With these caveats, many (i.e., the British themselves) would still argue that the British brought at least some positive changes to some areas under their rule. One positive was infrastructure. The British constructed bridges, railroads, highways, and other modern projects throughout the empire, providing for the economic integration that would be the foundation of modern nations. The British also sent massive amounts of exports to their colonies, especially manufactured goods, the products of British factories. Many have also argued that education was a benefit of British colonial rule, but this was disproportionately available to colonial elites, who were in some cases chosen to be educated in British schools. In other cases, it accompanied proselytizing of Protestant missionaries.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs4/background.htm
One benefit to being in the British empire was ready access to British goods. The British navy protected British shipping so that all parts of the empire could receive British goods. The British navy also enforced laws against piracy as Britain signed an international treaty against privateers.
Another benefit was the British pound. The British pound was a very stable currency. Since Britain owned many colonies, one could be confident that the British pound could be used in several ports all over the world. This was very important to international commerce both to those in Britain and in British-held territories.
Another benefit would be the use of the English language. English has become what Latin was during the Roman era--a language spoken all over the world. Knowing English opens up new travel and educational opportunities for people everywhere. Even today, there is a great demand for the English language.
Britain also developed many of its colonies. Britain improved harbors in order to accommodate its shipping industry. Britain also invested heavily in railroads in developing countries. While these railroads connected places that were more beneficial to the British than indigenous people, these railroads would be important to the further development of the developing world once these countries gained their independence.
One way in which the British empire helped the colonists was in the spread of the English language. Now, people know how to speak English wherever you go. The majority of foreign countries actually require students to start learning English very early on in their education. Second, the countries that Britain occupied were very poor, with damaged infrastructures. The British brought clean water to these countries and repaired their infrastructures. Without the British occupation, these countries probably would have been decimated by cholera, dysentery and other water-born diseases. Britain abolished slavery in every colony except the ones that were owned by the East India Trade Company in 1883. Slavery was abolished in the rest of the colonies 10 years later. The British built railways in the countries they occupied. They also built 65 more hospitals in India. And they introduced irrigation and more effective farming techniques. In India, the British introduced free speech and free press, and and they built more schools. Lastly, the British made the act of sati—widow burning—illegal. They also made infanticide, a common practice in India, illegal.
One advantage is that the British provided the infrastructure needed for a colony to develop. The British built roads, ports, and canals. They also constructed government buildings. A second advantage was that the language was the same throughout the British Empire. English was the language that was used. Imperialism brought diversity to the British Empire. As Britain did more trading, people from these foreign areas came to Britain. These people brought their cultures with them. The British also help spread democratic ideas to the places they ruled. The British had an established system of law and order that was brought to their colonies. The British also focused on education and emphasized the development of an educational system in the places they controlled. Finally, the British helped their former colonies if they were part of the British Commonwealth after the colonies became independent.
https://getrevising.co.uk/grids/the_british_empire
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