The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have clearly indicated their commitment to the UK’s world-leading science sector and its ability to drive economic recovery, so we are dismayed to uncover evidence of widespread disinvestment in science across government. Since 2009/10 the total R&D expenditure has seen a reduction of £856m to its lowest level in real terms since 2001/02.
In 2012, CaSE analysis of budget changes between 2009/10 and 2010/11 found evidence that many departments under financial pressure reduced R&D more than other spending. This analysis by CaSE of figures for 2010/11 and 2011/12, reported in the Financial Times, shows that Whitehall’s R&D expenditure has been slashed by £856 million since 2009-10, with many departments seeing year on year cuts to R&D.
CaSE departmental R&D Analysis 2014
Download ReportRelated resources
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CaSE representation to Autumn Budget 2025
23 October 2025
In this submission, we set out why supporting UK R&D is an essential way to generate growth in the economy, and improve lives and livelihoods across the UK.