The government has gone ahead and set out some fresh ten-year funding for research and development (R&D) to help boost efficiency, attract greater private investment, and grow the UK economy. The plan is all about promoting long-term funding for infrastructure and innovative technologies like quantum computing. This move aims to give leading research organizations more certainty as they tackle critical barriers to UK growth, according to the Department for Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSIT). They even mentioned that for every quid invested in public R&D, it somehow magically leverages £2 in private investment and generates a whopping £7 in net benefits to the UK economy over the long haul.
Infrastructure and core capabilities are one of the four areas where departments and public bodies need to identify and prioritize their proposals. This ten-year funding will allow recipients to develop or maintain core national infrastructure or support more impactful use of such infrastructure. Talent attraction and retention are also crucial. Longer-term funding would enable the development of a pipeline of skilled researchers, scientists, or engineers that would otherwise be difficult. International collaboration and partnerships with businesses are also key areas of focus. Blake Richmond, the Chief Operating Officer at Resonate Group, emphasized the importance of innovation in transport and the railway network, believing that investing in the railways could unlock regional benefits through job creation and improved transport connections.
The plan also seeks to deliver longer-term funding for infrastructure, including large-scale research facilities and equipment, to increase the chances of driving technology solutions with a significant public impact. Tristian Wilkinson, Chief for Public Sector at AND Digital, expressed excitement for the announcement. He highlighted the pressure on businesses working in frontier technologies to deliver innovation while navigating complex regulatory and security landscapes. “Too often, businesses have to compromise on foundational elements like secure infrastructure or interoperable systems because short-term funding creates a ‘just get it done’ mentality,” Wilkinson said. “With a ten-year runway, we can finally build with the future in mind, ensuring that data privacy, system integrity, and global competitiveness are core design principles from the start.”
The announcement comes just before the launch of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, positioning the UK as a world leader in delivering investment and skills jobs across growth-driving sectors. Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, emphasized the crucial development of long-term R&D funding for data-driven science and innovation, especially with the emergence of AI depending on high-quality datasets. “But achieving this takes time, consistency, and investment in data infrastructure,” Harvey added. “With a ten-year funding horizon, research organizations are empowered to commit to building and maintaining rigorous data management frameworks, which will drive better research outcomes, reproducibility, and opportunities for public-private collaboration.” This long-term funding sets the stage for deeper industry partnerships and strengthens the UK’s position as a global player in data-led science.
