CaSE thanks the many organisations and individuals who contributed to the project, and the agencies which delivered the research: Icaro, Brook Lyndhurst and The Social Agency. We also thank the public participants for their contributions in the qualitative and quantitative research.
This work was funded by a grant from Wellcome (318810/Z/24/Z).
Foreword
The UK’s political landscape has shifted dramatically since the 2024 General Election. The familiar dynamics and dividing lines of British politics have given way to a fragmented landscape. We started this project to generate insights that could help advocates navigate this unfamiliar terrain.
Our findings show that voters feel united in their pessimism about society, but not in their view of who or what is to blame. Many have grown frustrated with institutions that don’t appear to deliver solutions, with attitudes shifting from scepticism to outright contempt.
Against this backdrop, the R&D sector finds itself in a fragile position. On the surface, this report offer reassurance – support for Government investment in R&D remains broad and never drops below a majority for any voter group. However, this support is shallow. The public struggle to see how R&D benefits their daily lives or addresses their immediate priorities. Without a personal connection, this instinctive positivity is unlikely to survive a change in the political wind.
This report points towards actions we can take, but the clock is ticking. We have precious few years before the next General Election – a moment where voting intention crystallises into actual votes.
As a sector we must change both how we engage and how we act. Yes, we must convey a stronger story – flipping the pervasive “Broken Britain” narrative and positioning R&D as a shared source of hope. But we must also invest the time, energy and humility needed to renew our sector’s contract with society – even if this means changing the practices and incentives at the heart of the R&D system. Doing so offers our best chance of converting shallow public support into something that feels deep-rooted and personal.
Ben Bleasdale
Director of Public Opinion
Daniel Rathbone
Deputy Executive Director
The project
This project aims to provide robust evidence on what’s driving public attitudes, and how R&D does, or should, fit into this new political conversation. Delivered by CaSE’s research consortium and with input from more than 30 organisations across the sector, the project combines existing evidence and new qualitative and quantitative research across four phases:
Review of external research
Drawing on evidence on public attitudes and social change from outside and within the R&D sector, a desk review identified a range of cultural lenses that are reshaping British society.
Review of CaSE’s public opinion research
To inform the development of the subsequent phases, we reviewed evidence from our most recent large-scale studies with a specific focus on differences between voter groups.
Qualitative research with self-ethnography
Exploring the views of 25 voters, spread across the five main political parties and non-voters, to understand their priorities, ambitions and concerns, and how R&D fits into those, providing rich insights into individuals’ lives.
Quantitative research
A nationally representative survey of 4,173 UK adults tested how prevalent the themes identified were among a large sample, and explored the narrative opportunities and challenges the R&D sector will need to navigate.
Recommendations
The findings in this report make a clear case for action. CaSE has offered a series of recommendations (found in full on page 34 of the report), all of which must be grounded in genuine, open engagement with people across all parts of society.
R&D advocates must reconsider how we act to ensure we work in ways that can earn lasting public support, and how we engage to ensure we reach voters across society with compelling narratives. Both are vital: we must reach people in the here and now, while recognising that long-term support won’t result from narratives alone.
How we act
The R&D sector must proactively listen to the public, partnering with them to make our work better.
The R&D sector must open up the research process by better valuing and resourcing public participation.
The R&D sector must prioritise and incentivise trustworthy behaviours.
The R&D sector must explore and evaluate ways to collaboratively put insights into practice.
How we engage
The R&D sector must flip the “Broken Britain” narrative and position R&D as a source of hope.
The R&D sector must make its case outside crisis moments.
The R&D sector must adapt its messaging to suit a new voter landscape, and avoid stereotyping voter groups.
The R&D sector must create and champion narratives that make R&D feel more human, more local and more relatable.
Related resources
R&D in a shifting voter landscape: Voter group analysis
27 August 2026
This briefing series summarises attitudes within each of the five main UK voter groups and offers advice on how to better engage with them about R&D.
Burnham Government statement on increased English devolution
06 August 2026
CaSE looks at the devolution plans and what they might mean for UK R&D.
Public Attitudes to R&D in Wales 2026
08 July 2026
This briefing summarises attitudes to R&D in Wales. It is based on evidence from a nationally representative survey of 1,626 adults (16+) in Wales in January 2026.
Public Attitudes to R&D in Scotland 2026
08 July 2026
This briefing summarises attitudes to R&D in Scotland. It is based on evidence from a nationally representative survey of 2,707 adults (16+) in Scotland in January 2026.