June 11, 2025

expert reaction to R&D elements of the Spending Review

Scientists comment on the R&D elements of the Spending Review, as announced by the Chancellor.

Professor Andrew Morris CBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:

“We recognise the Chancellor’s commitment to national renewal through vital investment in health and research during challenging fiscal circumstances. We have long made the case that improved economic growth depends on improved health of people in the UK and have also consistently emphasised the importance of supporting talent, investment in R&D and innovation, prevention of ill health and a renewed NHS. The £29bn real terms increase in annual NHS day-to-day spending and £86bn four-year R&D budget demonstrate the Government’s understanding that few investments deliver the co-benefits that improved health can achieve.  

“This Spending Review provides an opportunity to maximise the potential of health research as a driver of the Government’s missions. The UK’s life sciences sector generates over £100bn in turnover and employs more than 300,000 people, making it fundamental to ensuring the UK’s international competitiveness and driving economic growth.  

“As we enter the implementation phase, we need coordinated action across the forthcoming Industrial Strategy and NHS 10-Year Health Plan, with long-term planning and stability at the heart of this approach. We look forward to seeing more detail in the coming weeks. We will continue to work with government to ensure these ambitions translate into positive impacts for society by using research to drive innovation, build an NHS fit for the future and break down barriers to opportunity, ensuring that everyone has equal chances to succeed and access to the best healthcare.” 

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

“The Chancellor’s Spending Review rightly focused on getting the NHS back on its feet and increasing support for the UK’s science base which are vital for the UK’s health and wealth. This will be critical if Government is to deliver on its aim of reducing premature cardiovascular disease death.

“Investment in our health service has never been more vital, as the UK continues to grapple with an unprecedented heart care crisis. Alongside this, we are pleased to see investment in cutting edge fields such as AI and data science which can save lives and prevent heart disease in the future. 

“This is a positive first step, but we now look ahead to the 10 Year Health Plan for more detail on how this funding will truly deliver better outcomes for heart patients and their loved ones.”

Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:

“In the face of significant headwinds, we are pleased to see recognition of the importance of engineering and technology to the UK’s prosperity and security, backed up by increased investment.

“We welcome the continued and longer-term support for R&D, energy and infrastructure. Funding to realise the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the go ahead for the new supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh, and the confirmation of continued funding for ARIA are all important commitments.

“However, to ensure the nation can maximise societal value from these investments, they must be embedded in a longer-term strategy. We eagerly await the Industrial Strategy to provide clarity for business and enterprise, so they can make informed investment decisions and continue to contribute to jobs and growth.

“We also welcome the uplift in investment for skills, but remain concerned about the need for holistic, strategic planning and investment in this space. The Academy’s new Skills Centre will seek to ensure that the engineering community can play its full part in delivering the skills base the country needs to thrive and prosper.”

John-Arne Røttingen, Chief Executive of Wellcome, the UK’s largest non-governmental funder of research, said:

“The previous government planned to reach £22bn a year of R&D spending last year, then pushed it back. Today’s review pushes that aim back further to 2030. This is a reduction in ambition at a time when the UK desperately needs the economic growth that investing in science brings.

“The squeeze on the health research budget in particular risks limiting our ability to find new treatments and innovation in the NHS. Britain has a strength in life sciences and medicine that it should be leaning into, to benefit patients and the economy.

“Meanwhile, a consequence of the disappointing decision to cut overseas aid is that the science it funds, tackling some of the world’s biggest health threats, will be halved by the end of the decade.”

Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said: 

“In this challenging economic landscape, we welcome the Chancellor’s strong backing for UK science. This investment isn’t just about labs and research papers; it’s about making real breakthroughs that actually improve people’s lives and boost our economy.

“It’s right that research and innovation is taking centre stage in the Government’s growth plans. The Chancellor has recognised what we’ve known all along – the UK has something special when it comes to life sciences, and we’re ready to show the world what we can do.

“Today’s boost to R&D investment, especially through long-term 10-year commitments, is welcome. Here at UK DRI, sustainable funding enables our researchers to really dig into the big challenges and come up with game-changing solutions. To make the most of our potential we need to continue to provide a long-term sustainable basis for researchers to drive forward world-class scientific innovation, whilst making sure we attract the best of global scientific talent.

“We look forward to seeing what comes next in the Life Sciences Sector Plan. Our goal is simple but ambitious: making sure everyone can look forward to a future where our brains stay healthy as we age. Combined with further measures in the Life Sciences Sector Plan and Industrial Strategy, today’s announcement brings that future closer for the millions of people affected by dementia.”

Tom Grinyer, Chief Executive of the IOP, said:

“Today’s Spending Review recognises the potential of science and innovation to deliver energy security, prosperity and transform lives across the UK. It’s good to see commitments to supercomputing, AI, clean energy – including modular nuclear reactors and fusion development, and efforts to drive collaboration with universities. But this spending settlement on R&D will mean tough decisions lie ahead for research funders.

“We have called for the UK to spend more than the OECD average on R&D and that should remain an ambition – today’s announcement of £22.6bn by the end of this Parliament still leaves us short of that. But an additional £4.5bn for schools as well as additional funding for training and apprenticeships are steps in the right direction on skills.

“What is now needed to help make the best of this settlement is a strategic ten-year plan for the physical sciences to sit alongside the ten-year Industrial Strategy. They are two sides of the same coin.

“This plan should set out support for strategically important physics technologies identified in the Science and Technology Framework and in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper. 

“We have an opportunity to go further to exploit the UK’s advantage in emerging technologies, by for instance recommitting to level of ambition around the Quantum Strategy – especially since 2025 is the International Year of Quantum.”

Professor Julia Black CBE, President of the British Academy, said:

“Investing in the UK’s research and innovation environment will help to build a resilient, productive and secure nation. The humanities and social sciences are a vital part of this. Without them, we cannot properly develop and apply technological innovation. We cannot understand human behaviour and our interactions with each other, technology and the planet. And we cannot fully power our creative industries which are the envy of the world.

“While we welcome investment in research, the government must act now to deliver a new Higher Education funding model, protecting the financial resilience and future of our universities. Research and Higher Education work hand in hand to meet the challenges of the future, enrich our local economies and allow people and society to reach their potential. We must preserve and invest in both.”

Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said:

“The Chancellor has today backed British science with the commitment of £86bn over the next four years. This is a welcome show of support for the UK’s outstanding science base. In difficult circumstances this will give some certainty to those looking to lead research and invest in the UK.

“It is good to see the Government recognise the skills gap, but we need a fundamental reset to maths and data education, for all ages, to equip young people with the skills they need for modern well-paid jobs. The Chancellor’s speech also had a welcome emphasis on a clean and secure energy future for the UK.

“While today’s commitment to protecting the research and innovation budget is encouraging, we continue to lag behind our competitors in the G7 on research and innovation investment when we should be looking to lead. We must also go further to attract and retain global talent. The UK’s sky-high upfront visa costs are an unnecessary deterrent at a time when our competitors are rolling out the welcome mat for the brightest minds.”

Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), said:

“The Chancellor’s investments in R&D through UKRI and scaling life science companies through the British Business Bank is a huge vote of confidence in our sector’s ability to drive economic growth.

“Investments into life sciences and AI will transform drug discovery and deliver greater NHS efficiency, the Health Data Research Service could make the UK the go-to destination for health innovation, while new funding for medicines manufacturing will help us attract internationally mobile investments to the UK and create well-paid rewarding jobs across the country.

“Greater operational freedom and budget for the British Business Bank will allow it to play an even greater role in boosting our venture capital ecosystem and complementing the Chancellor’s pension reforms to increase investment in Britain’s growth sectors. This is the critical element of the Chancellor’s Plan for Change that really must be delivered to the full, with no stone left unturned.

“We await the Industrial Strategy and Life Sciences Sector Plan later this month to see the full details of how the spending plans announced today will be delivered in reality, and look forward to working in partnership with Government to make every penny count for Britain’s economy, people and patients.”

Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, UKRI Chief Executive, said:

“This multi-year settlement confirms the government’s continued commitment to the critical role of research and innovation in delivering a high-productivity, high-growth economy, improving public services and creating high-quality jobs across the UK. 

“Over the coming months we will work with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on the allocations process to ensure we can best support the research and innovation critical for the UK’s prosperity.” 

Dr Joe Marshall, Chief Executive of NCUB said: 

“We welcome the Government’s ongoing recognition that research and innovation are at the heart of sustainable economic growth. The headline commitment to an £86 billion R&D budget over four years is critical. Our analysis shows that every £1 invested in research leverages an additional £4 from business in the long term — generating profound economic, social, and cultural benefits for the UK. 

“The Spending Review shapes not only the scale of funding for research, innovation, and skills but also its strategic direction. We applaud the pledge to extend R&D impact across the whole UK — notably through the new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund in England and reforms following the Green Book Review. The guidance for developing Local Growth Plans in England rightly references the critical importance of involving local businesses, higher education providers and bodies such as UKRI.”  

“The allocation of the £86 billion research budget reveals important priorities. The substantial increase in defence-related R&D spending — rising from £1.7 billion in 2025/26 to £2.4 billion in 2028/29 — signals a shift in the research landscape that will have significant implications for the kinds of projects funded.” 

“While the commitment to R&D funding is welcome, it is vital that key risks within the research and innovation system are addressed. UK universities play an indispensable and multifaceted role but continue to face severe funding pressures. The Chancellor’s acknowledgement that our universities are a national asset was encouraging, yet proper, sustained investment is essential to enable universities to drive UK innovation and progress forward.” 

Dr Alicia Greated, Executive Director, Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), said:

 “The Chancellor’s speech today has brought welcome confirmation of the announcements made at the weekend that the UK R&D budget is being protected in tough fiscal circumstances. Supporting UK R&D is an essential way to generate growth in the economy, ensure excellence in UK universities and research institutes, stimulate private sector innovation, and improve lives and livelihoods across the UK.

“It is important that we now consider the full detail of the spending review publications, as well as, critically, future departmental allocations. CaSE will be working to analyse the plans and assess the impact they will have on the R&D sector, particularly as there are several promising new initiatives that will need accounting for alongside existing commitments””

Declared interests

The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. As such, our policy is not to ask for interests to be declared – instead, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.