Our strategy for 2026 to 2031 sets out a clear direction for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to deliver outcomes for the UK public over the next five years, recognising that the policy, economic and global context will continue to evolve. It is designed to provide a consistent framework for action, aligned with government priorities, with enough flexibility to respond to new and emerging opportunities.
It is structured around our mission to:
- advance knowledge
- improve lives
- drive growth
Working with partners, we will strengthen the UK’s research and innovation system and deliver economic, social, environmental and cultural benefit across the UK. We will do this by:
- supporting curiosity-driven research
- addressing government and societal priorities
- helping companies start, scale and stay in the UK
- strengthening the foundations of the research and innovation system
- reforming our organisation
This marks a new chapter for UKRI, reflecting the record budget allocation in December 2025 from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and our aim to create a simpler, more outcomes-focused investment approach that delivers benefits for people, places and the economy.
Our delivery plan
The UKRI Delivery Plan sets out the actions UKRI will take over the next year to deliver our ambitious new strategy and our mission to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth.
In December 2025, the Secretary of State asked UKRI to develop a single UKRI delivery plan, rather than nine council level plans and a corporate plan. This would better convey our progress and ambitions for greater strategic coordination of delivery across the organisation.
Our delivery plan sets out examples of the activity we will undertake using our budget allocation to achieve collective outcomes and key results. These provide a focus for monitoring our progress, not a full account of everything we will do.
We will be transparent about how our plans are evolving through a quarterly forward look showing future funding opportunities and an annual update of the delivery plan and key results.
We will report against the delivery plan and our objectives and key results through our annual reports and accounts, which is laid before Parliament each summer.
Our priorities for 2026 to 2027
To support curiosity-driven research, deliver against government and wider societal priorities and help companies to start and scale in the UK, we will work at pace to:
- reform many of our applicant-led programmes so we can back bold, unconventional and cross-disciplinary ideas quickly and with greater agility
- launch our new priority programmes to support strategic investment in growth-promoting Industrial Strategy sectors, such as life sciences and AI, through single, integrated UKRI programmes rather than multiple programmes across UKRI councils
- strengthen pathways from research to commercialisation and business growth by reforming our Innovate UK service offer and strengthening our focus on intellectual property
- prioritise our investments in areas where the UK has an opportunity to lead globally and where our contribution can genuinely change outcomes
- establish clusters of excellence across the country by working with devolved governments and local authorities to identify and build upon world-class research and innovation strengths, creating opportunity in every region
- speed up our grant processing times to minimise delays to the delivery of world-leading research, alongside reforming our own organisation
To achieve these ambitions, we will continue to work in close collaboration and partnership with our stakeholders, delivery partners and investors across the country.
Last updated: 13 July 2026