August 12, 2019

The UK Government has pledged additional support for researchers and businesses post Brexit, by providing additional funding for scientists and researchers who have sought EU funding before the UK leaves. Funding will be available to support UK research proposals to Horizon 2020, the EU’s funding programme for research and innovation. The Government says that this commitment will protect UK bids to the European Research Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), and SME instrument programmes if the Commission stops evaluating them in a “no-deal” Brexit.

The Government has also said that it will develop a fast-track visa route for scientists, so that the UK continues to attract international talent in science and research from around the world.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will assess bids to the programmes if they are not evaluated by the EU. The Government says this will provide “welcome reassurance to UK businesses and researchers applying for prestigious grant programmes that support research from some of the science community’s most creative thinkers”. Successful applications will have grants funded for the lifetime of their grant proposals.

The UK will remain eligible to participate in other Horizon 2020 schemes as a third country and successful bids will be funded by the Government’s existing guarantee and extension.

The Government has also announced a £60 million boost for worldwide research collaborations tackling climate change, infectious diseases and adopting artificial intelligence in society. To read the Government’s news release in full, click here.