Pallab Ghosh

UK Research and Innovation will cut more than £160m from research programmes over four years as rising costs outpace planned budgets, despite national R&D spending reaching record levels. Major national laboratories and multidisciplinary facilities face reduced operating hours, suspended instruments, and cancelled upgrades, with sites in Oxfordshire, Cheshire, and North Yorkshire among the hardest hit. Particle physics and astronomy funding cuts were softened after lobbying, though rising costs still imply significant reductions. Critics warn that reduced capabilities and lab closures risk long‑term damage to scientific progress and economic growth.

Government spending forecasts have forced UK Research and Innovation to cut more than £160m from planned research despite overall R&D budgets reaching record levels. Major national laboratories in Oxfordshire, Edinburgh and Cheshire will see deep reductions affecting particle physics, astronomy, cancer research, materials science and dark matter experiments. While intense lobbying helped reduce planned cuts to CERN projects and astronomy to 2.7%, national multidisciplinary facilities face an average 15% budget drop and must seek commercial income to fill the gap. Critics warn the reductions will undermine long‑term economic growth and erode scientific capability that will be difficult to rebuild.