Britain had amphibious, escort, corvette, and sloop concepts before it funded their construction. Planners expected that a major war could be delayed until after 1942, which reduced the urgency of putting mature designs into production. Although the Ten Year Rule formally ended in 1932, the Treasury did not truly open the checkbook until about 1937. Ships ordered in that financial period formed a large part of the force that fought the coming war, but many were not ready when conflict began in 1939. Merchant conversions such as the Glen class bridged the gap between substantial intellectual preparation and late procurement.
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Britain had plans before it had funded ships
Interwar design work left Britain better prepared intellectually than its late orders suggest, but Treasury limits delayed turning plans into hulls.