UK Research and Innovation

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the United Kingdom’s public body responsible for investing public money in research and innovation across all disciplines and sectors. It brings together the seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England under a single strategic framework to support knowledge creation and its translation into economic and societal benefit. UKRI funds projects in universities, businesses, charities and other organisations, providing grants, fellowships and infrastructure support that enable scientists, engineers, scholars and innovators to pursue curiosity‑driven and challenge‑led work. Through its various councils it covers the arts and humanities, biological and biotechnological sciences, engineering and physical sciences, social sciences, medical sciences, environmental sciences and science and technology facilities. The organisation also works with policymakers and industry to align research priorities with national strategies such as the UK’s Research and Innovation Roadmap. By delivering funding competitions, collaborative programmes and translational initiatives, UKRI seeks to strengthen the UK’s research base and its capacity to address global challenges. Its activities are intended to sustain a skilled research workforce and to promote the uptake of new knowledge in the economy and society.

UKRI was established in 2018 as a non‑departmental public body reporting to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), bringing together previously separate funding entities to improve coordination and reduce duplication. Its structure includes the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Innovate UK and Research England, each retaining distinct remits while operating under a common UKRI strategy. The organisation’s headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, and it delivers its funding and support activities through a network of offices and partnerships across the country. In January 2021 UKRI experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted data on several web assets, including the UK Research Office portal and the BBSRC extranet used by UK councils, affecting approximately 13,000 users; the organisation reported the incident to national authorities and confirmed that no sensitive personal information was believed to have been compromised. Recovery efforts focused on restoring services and providing alternative support to minimise disruption to peer‑review processes and portal users. This incident highlighted UKRI’s reliance on digital infrastructure for its grant‑making and collaboration platforms and prompted a review of its cyber‑security resilience.