The UK government has announced a £55 billion funding boost for science and technology research, marking the largest-ever investment in research and development (R&D) by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
The funding, confirmed on 30 October 2025, is designed to accelerate innovation, improve lives, and grow the economy through new discoveries in fields ranging from health and clean energy to artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
A long-term commitment to innovation
The funding will support the UK’s research agencies and scientific bodies through to 2029/2030, providing long-term stability and clarity for researchers. It forms part of a wider £86 billion public R&D package announced by the Chancellor.
DSIT’s R&D budget will grow over the next four years, reaching a total of £58.5 billion. The government estimates that every £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in wider economic benefits and attracts an additional £2 in private sector funding, highlighting the significant returns on investment for the economy.
Supporting UK research powerhouses
The largest share of the new funding will go to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the national funding agency responsible for supporting universities, research institutes, and innovation-led businesses. By 2029/2030, UKRI’s annual budget will approach £10 billion, underpinning research that can transform public services and support emerging industries.
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), which focuses on high-risk, high-reward projects, will see its budget rise from £220 million to £400 million a year by the end of the period. ARIA is already backing ambitious work such as developing robotic systems to support adult social care needs.
Other big allocations include over £1.4 billion for the Met Office to maintain leadership in climate science, £900 million for the UK’s National Academies, £550 million for the National Measurement System, and £240 million for the newly established AI Security Institute.
The government’s analysis highlights how public R&D investment helps businesses scale and innovate. Companies that receive R&D support typically see a 21% increase in employment and a 23% rise in turnover within six years compared with similar firms that do not receive such funding.
Success stories include Oxford Nanopore, which developed genome sequencing technology now being used for pandemic early warning systems, and Cobalt Light Systems, whose innovations are used to screen liquids at airports worldwide. Both firms were previously backed by UKRI funding and have since grown into global leaders.
Health, energy and industry
Recent government-supported projects included £129 million for BioNTech to develop cutting-edge cancer therapies, £80 million for nationwide research into prosthetics and blood clot testing, and £44 million to deploy AI and engineering biology for cleaner, more efficient manufacturing.
Further funding is supporting breakthroughs in medical imaging, with £32 million allocated to develop scanners up to 40 times more sensitive than current technology, and over £22 million to advance quantum computing for faster drug discovery and energy innovation.
R&D is already home to around 3 million UK jobs, and the government expects this new funding to create many more as discoveries move from the lab to the marketplace.
