The UK Government has launched a bold new Life Sciences Sector Plan as part of its flagship Industrial Strategy.
The Life Sciences Sector Plan outlines a ten-year mission to harness British science and innovation, delivering long-term economic growth and a stronger, prevention-focused NHS.
Developed in close coordination with the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, the plan doubles down on the UK’s growing life sciences sector. It will turn cutting-edge research into real-world results: new treatments, faster diagnoses, and more lives saved.
It’s about ensuring breakthroughs happen in the UK – and stay in the UK – by creating jobs, improving lives across the country, and driving growth.
How life sciences fuel economic growth
The life sciences’ critical importance in driving economic growth and improving health, two of the core elements of the Plan for Change, has been demonstrated through the government’s actions to date in supporting the sector.
“With our world-leading science base, genomics capabilities and industrial heritage, our life sciences sector can truly be among the best globally, ensuring the UK is developing and benefiting from the technologies of the future,” explained Professor Sir John Bell, President of the Ellison Institute of Technology and UK Government Life Sciences Champion, and Sir John Symonds, UK Government Life Sciences Champion.
“We must, however, move past high-level ambitions. This plan, with an inbuilt, relentless focus on delivery, provides the vehicle to take us there.”
The Chancellor re-committed up to £520m for the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund at the Spending Review to attract investment into the UK, and red tape is being slashed to speed up clinical trials. Additionally, an investment of up to £600m will deliver a Health Data Research Service that will be unmatched globally.
This will unlock the power of data to drive breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Six bold actions to kickstart change
The Life Sciences Sector Plan will be supported over the lifetime of the Spending Review by government funding of over £2bn, alongside funding from UKRI and NIHR.
Actions include:
- Unlocking NHS data to find new cures: Up to £600m investment to build the world’s most advanced health data system – helping scientists develop better treatments faster.
- Speeding up clinical trials: Cutting red tape so patients can join trials sooner – and get access to life-changing medicines quicker.
- Backing British manufacturing: Up to £520m to invest in life sciences manufacturing projects – creating high-skilled jobs and making more treatments and medical devices here at home.
- Getting new treatments to patients faster: Making regulation simpler and faster by boosting departmental support for the MHRA with additional investment, so doctors can use safe, effective innovations without delay.
- Helping doctors use new tech: A new NHS ‘passport’ to roll out proven tools faster – like AI cancer scanners or wearable devices that detect disease early.
- Backing growth of UK firms: Helping fast-growing companies raise investment, scale up, and stay in the UK, with at least one major industry partnership secured every year.
A new direction for the life sciences sector
The plan was shaped with input from over 250 organisations, including doctors, scientists, NHS leaders and industry experts, to ensure it delivers real impact.
It builds on the strong foundations of the 10 Year Health Plan, extending its ambition by uniting health and growth interventions into a single, coherent strategy for the Life Sciences sector. Every action has clear goals and named leads.
This is a Plan designed to deliver, not in isolation but as a vital part of the government’s broader Plan for Change.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “Our world-leading life sciences sector employs hundreds of thousands of people and is a powerhouse for economic growth that puts more money in people’s pockets.
“The ten-year life sciences plan we have released today as part of our Industrial Strategy will cut red tape and deliver the investment we funded at the Spending Review so it can stay ahead of the curve globally and we can reap the economic rewards for years to come.”
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle added: “The life sciences sector is one of the crown jewels of the UK economy. It sits at the heart of both our Plan for Change and our Modern Industrial Strategy, as a unique catalyst for both economic prosperity and better health outcomes for people across the UK.
“The suite of measures we’re announcing today will unlock its full potential – attracting global investment, accelerating innovation, and delivering breakthroughs that will make the UK healthier, wealthier, and even more open for business.”
