Key organisations welcome chancellor’s pledge to “protect” R&D
Key science figures have welcomed Rachel Reeves’ pledge to “protect” R&D in the autumn budget, following recent fears of an effective funding cut—but with a note of caution that the devil will be in the detail of allocated science spending.
The Treasury “red book” published following the chancellor’s speech says the budget “protects record levels of government R&D investment with £20.4bn allocated in 2025-26”, including “at least £6.1bn of support for core research”.
“The government’s R&D investment also fully funds Horizon association,” it adds.
In the weeks leading up to the budget, there were concerns that up to £1bn of extra costs related to UK membership of EU research programme Horizon Europe could be folded into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology budget from 2025-26, delivering an effective cut to the domestic research budget.
‘Good news for R&D sector’
Daniel Rathbone, deputy executive director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said: “Following further analysis and conversations, we understand that, based on the increase to the Dsit R&D budget, the worst case of a significant cut to other R&D investment following a ‘tuck under’ of Horizon Europe association costs will not materialise.
“This is good news for the R&D sector, and a fantastic result for our advocacy efforts over recent weeks. However, we won’t know the full picture until we get sight of the complete Dsit spending allocations in the coming months.”
Beth Thompson, chief strategy officer at Wellcome, said: “Protecting R&D spending, even when times are tough, is the right thing to do.
“As the chancellor stated in her speech, the way to drive economic growth is to invest. This is particularly true for R&D—every pound of public support stimulates over £4 of private investment.
“Creating this cycle of long-term, strategic and ambitious investment means businesses and universities can continue to flourish, cementing the UK’s reputation for science, and making new discoveries that transform physical and mental health in the UK and around the world.”
Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group, said: “In a challenging fiscal landscape, we are pleased to see the government has protected the R&D budget, including core research funding, and recognised the value of research and innovation as a key pillar of the growth mission.”
He added: “We are also very encouraged to hear that full funding has been made available for our association to Horizon Europe.”
‘We applaud the government’
Chi Onwurah, chair of the science, innovation and technology committee, said she welcomed the “commitment to protect core research funding”.
Rosalind Gill, head of policy and engagement at the National Centre for Universities and Business, said: “We applaud the government for recognising that UK R&D is crucial for future competitiveness, growth, clean energy goals, healthcare advancements and national security.”
Devil in the detail
Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL, told Research Professional News that the science budget “has done well”.
“However, we must await Dsit’s and UK Research and Innovation’s more detailed allocation of their budgets before we see the effect of today’s announcement,” he said.
Ben Johnson, a former adviser in Dsit, wrote on X: “[We] will have to see the devil of UKRI’s allocation—particularly non-core—but the protection of core research is [very] positive,” Johnson wrote.
Universities snubbed
However, higher education funding was not addressed in the budget.
Nick Hillman, the Higher Education Policy Institute director, criticised the budget on that score. “I don’t think I can recall any major fiscal event in which universities were so ignored,” he wrote on X.
MillionPlus chief executive Rachel Hewitt echoed disappointment over the “absence of any measures [on university funding] within the chancellor’s first budget”.
She also highlighted the national insurance contribution rise for employers, which will affect universities.
“Today’s rise in employer national insurance contribution will come as yet another blow to an already financially fraught higher education sector,” Hewitt said.