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Public Opinion Data Briefings

CaSE has conducted multiple research studies into public attitudes to R&D. Our data briefings cover key findings for different actors and groups involved in funding or carrying out R&D, the main topics of concern for the public, and how attitudes differ depending on audience demographics.

These summaries complement the full data, which you can explore on our Public Opinion Research page. 

Briefings are dated and state which studies the results are drawn from. In November 2025, CaSE published its new study, Public Attitudes to R&D 2025, and we will be updating briefings over coming months.

R&D actors 

A range of institutions and individuals fund and carry out R&D in the UK. Our research sought to understand the public’s attitudes towards these R&D actors, and these briefings examine four key groups: universities, the private sector, governments and charities. 
Public Attitudes to R&D and Universities
18 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings for universities from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study
Public Attitudes to R&D and Businesses
18 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings for businesses from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study
Public Attitudes to R&D and Governments and Politicians
20 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings for governments and politicians from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D and Charities
20 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings for charities from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.

R&D topics

Our research identified a range of issues of concern to the public across the UK, and explored how attitudes to R&D were influenced by the problems that research was seeking to address. These briefings examine attitudes towards R&D and three of the top concerns – climate change and energy; healthcare and cost of living – and views on local, national and international impact.
Public Attitudes to R&D and Healthcare
25 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings on healthcare from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D and Environment
25 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings on the environment from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D and Cost of Living
27 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings on the cost of living from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D and Locality
27 Apr 2023

This briefing covers key findings on public attitudes towards the locality of R&D’s benefits from CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 study.
Public Attitudes to R&D: Global-Facing R&D
04 Dec 2024

This briefing summarises attitudes to global-facing R&D, research conducted in the UK, but whose benefits are felt outside the UK. It is from CaSE’s June 2024 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D and the Government’s Missions
18 Mar 2025

This briefing summarises attitudes to the UK Government’s missions from CaSE’s September 2024 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D and International Talent
22 Apr 2025

This briefing summarises attitudes to immigration, international students and researchers, and their impact on UK R&D. It is from CaSE public attitudes research in June and December 2024.

Audiences & Language

Understanding how different groups of people think and feel, and how they respond to different messaging, is vital for effective engagement. These briefings explore core elements of getting the right message: demographic trends identified through our research and the most effective types of language and messaging.
Public Attitudes to R&D 2025: Demographic differences
11 Nov 2025

This briefing summarises notable demographic trends from CaSE’s landmark study Public Attitudes to R&D 2025. It is based on evidence from a nationally representative survey of 8,000 UK adults in July 2025.
Public Attitudes to R&D: Audience demographics
22 Jun 2023

This briefing considers demographic differences in attitudes to R&D in CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D: Terminology
05 Dec 2023

This briefing covers responses to terminologies tested in CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.
Public Attitudes to R&D: Regional Analysis
22 Feb 2024

This briefing explores attitudes to R&D across the UK’s regions in CaSE’s Discovery Decade 2022-23 public attitudes study.