UK Government Confirms £55bn Funding Boost for Science and Technology Research

The UK government has announced a landmark £55 billion package of long-term funding for science and technology research, representing the largest-ever investment in R&D by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT). 

The allocations, confirmed on 30th October 2025, will support research agencies and bodies across the country, supporting breakthroughs that improve lives, create jobs and drive economic growth.

The funding is part of the government’s £86 billion public R&D commitment confirmed at the Spending Review, with £55 billion detailed in this announcement. DSIT’s overall R&D budget will grow in real terms, totalling £58.5 billion between 2026 and 2030.

New analysis highlights the economic value of public investment in R&D, showing that every £1 spent delivers £8 in wider benefits, while crowding in an additional £2 of private investment on average. The government argues that this investment is a “down-payment on Britain’s future,” with dividends expected for decades to come.

“Backing our best and brightest researchers and innovators is essential. They are making the impossible, possible, from health to clean energy and beyond,” said Science and Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall. “Their ideas will create tomorrow’s industries, boosting growth and transforming public services now and in the future”.

The announcement was made during Kendall’s visit to IBM’s London base. IBM is working with UKRI’s £210 million Hartree Centre to apply AI, quantum computing and supercomputing to medicine and clean energy. The National Quantum Computing Centre will also benefit from a first-of-its-kind 10-year government funding commitment.

Publicly funded research has already delivered results, including antibody treatments that have turned some cancers into manageable conditions. Companies such as Oxford Nanopore, developing a pandemic early warning system, and Cobalt Light Systems, whose liquid screening technology is used in over 170 airports worldwide, have benefitted from UKRI support.

Recent allocations include:

• £129 million for BioNTech to establish UK R&D centres for cancer medicines, unlocking £1 billion in private investment over 10 years.
• £80 million for 100 nationwide projects, from advanced prosthetics to improved blood clot testing.
• £44 million to apply AI and engineering biology to cleaner, more efficient manufacturing.
• £32 million for novel medical scanners up to 40 times more sensitive than current models.
• £19.6 million for advanced materials for next-generation computers and scanners.
• Over £22 million for quantum computing research to accelerate drug discovery.

The funding will also support major institutions. UKRI will deliver more than £38 billion across the period, including nearly £10 billion in 2030. ARIA’s budget will rise from £220 million to £400 million annually by 2030, supporting bold, long-term breakthroughs such as robotics for adult social care. 

The Met Office will receive £1.4 billion to maintain leadership in climate science, while the National Academies will receive over £900 million. Additional allocations include £550 million for the National Measurement System and £240 million for the AI Security Institute.

R&D is already central to around three million jobs in the UK, with the potential to create many more as discoveries advance. The government hopes this funding will accelerate innovation, strengthen Britain’s position as a global science leader, and deliver tangible benefits for health, energy, and the economy.

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