British researchers and innovators are celebrating a major milestone as the UK has secured nearly £500 million in research grants from the EU’s Horizon Europe programme — marking a strong return after a three-year post-Brexit hiatus. Since rejoining as an associate member in 2024, the UK has become the top non-EU recipient by number of grants and ranks fifth overall behind Germany, Spain, France, and the Netherlands.
Reported in the Guardian newspaper, over 2,900 UK-led projects have received funding, ranging from breakthroughs in medical robotics, like Imperial College London’s cranial catheter inspired by wasps, to sustainable aviation fuels made from yeast and greenhouse gases. Leading institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, and Imperial have received tens of millions in support so far.
Research and innovation leaders across the UK have welcomed the positive early indication of the UK’s return to form, and with preparations for the EU’s next seven-year funding cycle – FP10 – underway, the UK is positioning itself as a continued leader in European science and research.