UK public spending on science and technology by year
Public spending on science and technology.
£11.3 billion
0.4%
HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) put public spending on science and technology at £11.3 billion in 2025-26. In 2024-25 it was £9.7 billion, so the cash figure changed by +16.5%. Adjusted to 2025-26 prices, it was £4.1 billion in 2003-04 and £11.3 billion in 2025-26. As a share of GDP it was 0.4% in 2025-26; the highest share in the table is 0.4% in 2025-26.
Spending by year
| Year | Cash | Change on previous year | Real terms (2025-26 prices) | Share of GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | £11.3 billion | +16.5% | £11.3 billion | 0.4% |
| 2024-25 | £9.7 billion | – | £10.0 billion | 0.3% |
| 2023-24 | £9.7 billion | +31.1% | £10.5 billion | 0.3% |
| 2022-23 | £7.4 billion | +12.1% | £8.3 billion | 0.3% |
| 2021-22 | £6.6 billion | – | £8.1 billion | 0.3% |
| 2020-21 | £6.6 billion | +10.0% | £8.1 billion | 0.3% |
| 2019-20 | £6.0 billion | +7.1% | £7.7 billion | 0.3% |
| 2018-19 | £5.6 billion | +14.3% | £7.4 billion | 0.3% |
| 2017-18 | £4.9 billion | +8.9% | £6.6 billion | 0.2% |
| 2016-17 | £4.5 billion | -4.3% | £6.1 billion | 0.2% |
| 2015-16 | £4.7 billion | +6.8% | £6.5 billion | 0.2% |
| 2014-15 | £4.4 billion | +4.8% | £6.1 billion | 0.2% |
| 2013-14 | £4.2 billion | +27.3% | £5.9 billion | 0.2% |
| 2012-13 | £3.3 billion | -8.3% | £4.8 billion | 0.2% |
| 2011-12 | £3.6 billion | +5.9% | £5.3 billion | 0.2% |
| 2010-11 | £3.4 billion | -5.6% | £5.1 billion | 0.2% |
| 2009-10 | £3.6 billion | +12.5% | £5.5 billion | 0.2% |
| 2008-09 | £3.2 billion | -3.0% | £5.0 billion | 0.2% |
| 2007-08 | £3.3 billion | +13.8% | £5.3 billion | 0.2% |
| 2006-07 | £2.9 billion | -3.3% | £4.7 billion | 0.2% |
| 2005-06 | £3.0 billion | +20.0% | £5.1 billion | 0.2% |
| 2004-05 | £2.5 billion | +8.7% | £4.3 billion | 0.2% |
| 2003-04 | £2.3 billion | £4.1 billion | 0.2% |
PESA 2026 Tables 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, line "of which: science and technology". About these figures · CSV
Sources and receipts
- Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2026, Chapter 4 tables, HM Treasury.
File: PESA_2026_CP_Chapter_4_tables.xlsx. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
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