All articles tagged with #uk science funding
Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to save Jodrell Bank Observatory after UKRI said the site would not be prioritised for funding beyond March 2028, vowing to find a way to keep the Lovell telescope operational and to arrange further talks with MPs to secure alternative funding as more than 150 public figures urge government support; without new funding, observations at Jodrell are set to cease on 1 April 2028.
UK physics facilities funded by STFC face a £42 million a year funding gap and risk closure unless they increasingly raise external income. A £135 million three‑year top‑up buys time to cut costs and grow commercial activity—such as paid beam time, technology licensing, and lab access—while beam time and jobs are set to shrink. The situation mirrors broader UK science funding reforms and lags behind some European labs in commercial income, leaving the sector at a crossroads about long‑term viability and the pace of change by 2030.