UK Research and Innovation: providing support through grants

It is vital that UKRI uses all available levers to ensure it is taking as much risk as it would like to in its funding decisions to achieve strategic objectives and to prevent missing out on high-reward opportunities. By April 2026, UKRI should consider ways it can improve the support it provides to those with responsibility for funding decisions. This should include: ? providing and communicating a more detailed description of its risk appetite for funding decisions; ? providing more practical guidance on how the risk appetite should be applied across the stages of designing and awarding grants; and ? identifying the barriers and incentives to take bolder decisions in designing and awarding grants.

While investing in ambitious and pioneering research, it is important for UKRI to understand how its work is providing a return on investment for taxpayers. To better understand the impact of its investments, inform future portfolio planning and position itself to most effectively harness opportunities, after the outcome of the next spending review, UKRI should develop a plan to build upon its existing programme evaluations by increasing its use of portfolio, thematic and longer-term evaluations.

By January 2026, UKRI should take stock of whether its systems are providing it with the data necessary for good portfolio management, and if not, develop a plan to improve its portfolio monitoring and strategic oversight. It should particularly consider collecting more information on activity and performance by research theme, and information to support a well-rounded understanding of how its risk appetite has played out in practice through its grant funding decisions. It should also consider whether the new systems provide enough flexibility and encourage new approaches.