Geographical distribution of funding

Contents

2017 to 2018 regional distribution of funding

This was our first regional funding data and analysis, published in 2020.

Research and development activity by region April 2017 to March 2018

As shown in table 1, between them, London, the South East and the East of England made up 52% of national gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) in April 2017 to March 2018.

Table 1: Research and development activity by region April 2017 to March 2018
Gross expenditure on research and development (GERD)

Source: ONS

GERD % Business enterprise research and development (BERD)

Source: ONS

BERD %
NUTS 1 region 2017, £ million 2017 2017, £ million 2017
East Midlands 1,938 6% 1,521 6%
East of England 5,938 17% 4,677 20%
London 5,548 16% 2,796 12%
North East 707 2% 384 2%
North West 3,040 9% 2,174 9%
Northern Ireland 695 2% 512 2%
Scotland 2,529 7% 1,247 5%
South East 6,730 19% 4,860 21%
South West 2,334 7% 1,652 7%
Wales 744 2% 457 2%
West Midlands 2,965 9% 2,467 10%
Yorkshire and the Humber 1,641 5% 938 4%
UK 34,809 100% 23,685 100%

Regional breakdown of quality-related (QR) funding

Table 2 provides a breakdown of QR funding, allocated to eligible higher education institutions in England by Research England and determined through the devolved higher education funding bodies for QR-equivalent funding in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The distribution of Research England’s QR allocations is largely driven by the scale, cost and quality of research activity in universities.

Table 2 shows high concentrations in London, the South East, Scotland and East of England, reflecting the presence of very large research-intensive institutions in those regions. Taking the number of universities receiving research funding in a region into account, the picture changes, bringing the North East into the top four best performing regions.

Accounting for the number of researchers in each region receiving QR (or equivalent), funding is still reflective of the concentration of research-intensive universities and skills, however it shows a different distribution with Northern Ireland emerging as the top recipient.

Table 2: QR research, postgraduate research funding and research excellence grant, July 2017 to September 2018
NUTS 1 region QR, postgraduate research study (PGR) and research excellence grant (REG) research funding allocated

Source: HESA

QR, PGR and REG research funding per researcher approx. (£)

Source: HESA microdata

QR, PGR and REG research funding per research active university (£ million)

Source: HESA microdata

East Midlands 101 6,078 11
East of England 165 8,753 16
London  476 10,080 12
North East 68 6,679 14
North West 146 5,755 10
Northern Ireland 49 10,339 12
Scotland 278 9,979 15
South East 291 8,517 15
South West 107 6,862 8
Wales 63 6,265 7
West Midlands 99 5,546 8
Yorkshire and the Humber 135 6,329 12
UK  1,978 7,916 12

About the data in table 2

In the funding allocated column, figures for April 2017 to March 2018 are the latest available for funding received. QR funding is allocated within the academic year.

In the funding per researcher and per university columns, ‘researchers’ is the combination of staff and student researchers. Staff researchers have been defined as staff who are on an ‘Academic contract that is research only’ or an ‘Academic contract that is both teaching and research’. Student researchers have been defined as those registered for a ‘Doctoral degree that meets the criteria for a research-based higher degree’.

Regional breakdown of business-led innovation

Innovate UK funding is focused on supporting UK business innovation, including in collaboration with research organisations.

The regional distribution of Innovate UK allocations is closely linked to the economic composition of each part of the country. The data shows large year-on-year fluctuations in funding allocations, driven in part by occasional large grants for centres such as the Catapult network.

To account for the differing economic structure and number of innovative businesses in each region, we normalise by the number of businesses claiming research and development tax credits, over multiple years.

This shows the North East, West Midlands, South West and Scotland emerge as the top four beneficiaries of Innovate UK research and development funding.

The North West, Wales and Northern Ireland on average receive the least Innovate UK funding.

Innovate UK funding, April 2017 to March 2018
Innovate UK total allocation

Source: Innovate UK funded projects since 2004

Innovate UK total allocations per business claiming research and development tax credit
NUTS 1 region April 2017 to March 2018 (£ million) April 2017 to March 2018 (£)
East Midlands 65 20,870
East of England 114 24,267
London 214 22,126
North East 32 19,958
North West 55 11,150
Northern Ireland 9 6,576
Scotland 44 19,801
South East 184 24,685
South West 134 36,463
Wales 20 13,003
West Midlands 235 56,659
Yorkshire and the Humber 47 13,964
UK 1,152 24,149

The data shows us that the overall level of QR (or equivalent) and Innovate UK funding reflect the regional research and development concentrations across the wider economy.

When taking the research-active business and university populations into account, these UKRI funding streams build on strengths in all parts of the UK, but there are still variations which require further investigation.

About the data in table 3

The Innovate UK total allocations column includes all Innovate UK allocations in financial year April 2017 to March 2018 from transparency data. Value is calculated using the grant offered variable, and project start date.

Innovate UK total allocations are subject to annual variation. Additionally, the figures do not account for a headquartering effect, whereby a grant location may be recorded as the headquarter of a firm and not where the research and development takes place.

Source for number of businesses claiming research and development tax credits: HMRC

In the allocations per business column, ‘researchers’ is the combination of staff and student researchers. Staff researchers have been defined as staff who are on an ‘Academic contract that is research only’ or an ‘Academic contract that is both teaching and research’. Student researchers have been defined as those registered for a ‘Doctoral degree that meets the criteria for a research-based higher degree’.

Last updated: 27 July 2023

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