Technology

UK invests record £55 billion in science and technology to secure global leadership

Thursday, 30 October 2025 5:03AM UTC

The UK government announces a historic £55 billion boost in science and tech funding, aiming to accelerate innovation, combat climate change, and position the country as a global science superpower.

The UK government has confirmed a substantial £55 billion boost in funding for science and technology research and development (R&D), marking a record level of investment aimed at fostering economic growth, innovation, and job creation. This funding forms part of a wider £86 billion package announced at the Chancellor’s spending review in June, underscoring the government's ongoing commitment to positioning the UK as a global leader in scientific research and technological advancement.

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall officially marked the announcement with a visit to IBM’s London headquarters, where she saw firsthand cutting-edge technology including a robotic dog and a quantum computer. IBM is actively partnering with publicly funded researchers to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputing can accelerate breakthroughs in medicine and clean energy. Speaking during the visit, Kendall emphasised the critical importance of the investment, highlighting that public money in R&D tends to attract twice as much from the private sector. She noted, “Businesses that receive R&D funding grow by 20% more and expand their workforce by around 20% more,” framing the investment as both an economic and societal imperative.

The funding allocations span a broad range of sectors with a particular focus on pressing challenges. Over £1.4 billion will go to the Met Office to bolster climate science, reflecting urgent priorities related to climate change. The UK’s National Academies are set to receive more than £900 million, supporting academic excellence and collaboration. In addition, more than £550 million is allocated to the National Measurement System, essential for maintaining world-class measurement standards that underpin innovation. Recognising the risks and opportunities posed by AI, the government has also dedicated £240 million to the AI Safety Institute, which focuses on evaluating AI impacts and mitigating associated risks.

This announcement builds on a series of government commitments over recent years aimed at boosting the UK’s science infrastructure and capabilities. Previously, the UK government outlined a £39.8 billion R&D budget for 2022-2025, its largest ever at the time, intended to reinforce the UK's ambition to become a science superpower through investments in clean energy, health, and advanced manufacturing. More recently, a £13.9 billion package was unveiled in April 2025, targeting life sciences, green energy, and engineering projects, including pioneering research into early dementia diagnosis and advanced wind power technologies.

In addition to these broader funding envelopes, dedicated commitments have been made towards next-generation technologies. In 2023, the government allocated £3.5 billion to promote supercomputing and quantum research, including a £900 million investment in an exascale supercomputer and £2.5 billion for a new decade-long Quantum Strategy. The Alan Turing Institute, a centre of excellence for AI and data science, has also seen its funding doubled to £100 million, alongside enhancements to the AI Safety Institute to support testing of advanced AI systems.

The £86 billion package, projected to provide around £22.5 billion annually by 2029-2030, also includes up to £500 million aimed at regional programmes to ensure that the benefits of scientific innovation are spread across the UK. Investments extending to doctoral training in engineering and physical sciences will foster skills critical to future technologies, such as AI, quantum technologies, semiconductors, and engineering biology, with over £1 billion earmarked to support these centres.

Previous recipients of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding demonstrate the impact of such investments. Companies like Oxford Nanopore are developing the world’s first pandemic early warning system, while Cobalt Light Systems produce technology used to screen liquids at airports, showcasing practical and life-enhancing applications of scientific research.

Overall, this expanded investment underscores the government's dual aim of stimulating economic growth through innovation and tackling some of the nation’s most urgent challenges—from climate change to healthcare—by harnessing advances in AI, quantum computing, and clean technologies. As Liz Kendall remarked, these efforts are not only beneficial for economic vitality and job creation but are equally about delivering better outcomes and value for taxpayers by driving scientific discovery and technological excellence.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] (The Irish News), ^[6] (Science Council of the UK)
Paragraph 2 – ^[1] (The Irish News)
Paragraph 3 – ^[1] (The Irish News)
Paragraph 4 – ^[2] (GOV.UK), ^[3] (GOV.UK)
Paragraph 5 – ^[4] (GOV.UK), ^[5] (GOV.UK)
Paragraph 6 – ^[6] (Science Council of the UK), ^[7] (UKRI)
Paragraph 7 – ^[1] (The Irish News)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.irishnews.com/news/uk/government-confirms-55bn-boost-for-science-and-tech-research-and-development-ZGXMGIZCGZMVLDIIGQZQKXZ53E/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-plans-for-largest-ever-rd-budget - In March 2022, the UK government announced a £39.8 billion R&D budget for 2022-2025, marking the largest ever investment in research and development. This funding aims to strengthen the UK's position as a science superpower, supporting innovations in areas such as clean energy, health, and advanced manufacturing. The budget includes allocations for UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and the UK Space Agency, with a commitment to increase total R&D investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-139-billion-of-rd-funding-unveiled-to-boost-innovation-jobs-and-growth - In April 2025, the UK government unveiled £13.9 billion in R&D funding to drive growth and innovation. The investment focuses on life sciences, green energy, and engineering, aiming to improve public services and create business opportunities. Notable projects include blood tests for early dementia diagnosis and advanced wind power testing facilities. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is set to receive £8.8 billion over the next year to support these initiatives.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-commits-up-to-35-billion-to-future-of-tech-and-science - In March 2023, the UK government committed up to £3.5 billion to support the future of technology and science. This includes £1 billion for supercomputing and AI research, £2.5 billion over ten years for a new Quantum Strategy, and £900 million for an exascale supercomputer. The funding aims to establish the UK as a science and technology superpower, fostering innovation and economic growth.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/spring-budget-puts-uk-on-fast-track-to-becoming-science-and-technology-superpower - The Spring Budget 2023 outlined plans to position the UK as a science and technology superpower. Key initiatives include doubling investment in the Alan Turing Institute to £100 million, supporting AI and data science research, and updating the AI Safety Institute to test advanced AI systems. These measures aim to enhance the UK's capabilities in AI and quantum technologies.
https://www.soci.org/news/2025/6/science-and-technology-get-86-billion-boost - In June 2025, the UK government announced an £86 billion investment in science and technology R&D. The funding supports innovations in drug discovery, battery technologies, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. It includes £22.5 billion annually by 2029/2030 and up to £500 million for regional programs, aiming to ensure the UK leads in pioneering future technologies.
https://www.ukri.org/news/1-billion-doctoral-training-investment-announced/ - In March 2024, the UK government announced over £1 billion investment in 65 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) centres for doctoral training. The funding supports research in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, and engineering biology, aiming to develop skills and innovations in these key areas.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being October 30, 2025. The £55 billion funding announcement is part of a broader £86 billion package for science and technology R&D, as detailed in the Chancellor's spending review in June 2025. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformative-86-billion-boost-to-science-and-tech-to-turbocharge-economy-with-regions-backed-to-take-cutting-edge-research-into-own-hands?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quotes attributed to Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall are unique to this narrative, with no earlier matches found online. This suggests the content is potentially original or exclusive.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from The Irish News, a reputable news outlet. The information aligns with official government announcements, such as the £86 billion boost to science and tech to turbocharge the economy, with regions backed to take cutting-edge research into their own hands. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformative-86-billion-boost-to-science-and-tech-to-turbocharge-economy-with-regions-backed-to-take-cutting-edge-research-into-own-hands?utm_source=openai))

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is current, originates from a reputable source, and presents plausible claims consistent with recent government initiatives. The direct quotes are unique, suggesting original content. No significant issues were identified during the fact-checking process.

UK government
science and technology
R&D investment