UK promises £1 billion of UKRI money over four years to regional innovation clusters

Country Focus Economy Economy & Banking Polity & Governance Science & Technology

UK promises £1 billion of UKRI money over four years to regional innovation clusters

9 October 2026

Speaking at the Innovation Nation Summit in Manchester, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced £1 billion from UK Research and Innovation over the next four years for high-growth innovation clusters in the priority sectors of the Industrial Strategy.
The first partnerships to be set up by No.10 North cover the Northern Growth Corridor and the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor, in life sciences, digital and technology, and advanced manufacturing.
Established mayoral strategic authorities in England are to receive dedicated devolved research and development funding.
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund is to be devolved to established Mayors from 2028, and Good Growth Funds are to give local leaders a single, flexible, long-term growth budget.
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund announcement applies only to England, and the government said it will work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on extending local empowerment.
The Prime Minister said in the speech, 'We can be the world's innovation nation.'

UKRI funding announced: £1 billion Period: Next four years Local Innovation Partnerships Fund devolved from: 2028 Venue: Innovation Nation Summit, Manchester

Why it matters for exams: It pairs a named funding figure with the UK's devolution machinery, which is the kind of governance detail examiners use to test understanding of a unitary state with devolved administrations.

Kerala PSCUPSC

9 October 2026 Source: GOV.UK, Prime Minister's Office

In plain words

UKRI UK Research and Innovation — The United Kingdom's main public body for funding research and innovation.

Mayoral strategic authority Mayoral strategic authority — An English sub-national body led by a directly elected mayor to which central powers and budgets are devolved.