The government has today (Wednesday 16 July) launched a bold new Life Sciences Sector Plan as part of the government’s flagship Industrial Strategy
The government has today (Wednesday 16 July) launched a bold new Life Sciences Sector Plan as part of the government’s flagship Industrial Strategy, setting out a ten-year mission to harness British science and innovation to deliver long-term economic growth and a stronger, prevention-focused NHS.
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The UK is already a global leader in life sciences, with the sector worth around £100 billion to the economy, and employing around 300,000 people. This plan, developed in close coordination with the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, doubles down on that strength – turning cutting-edge research into real-world results: new treatments, faster diagnoses, and more lives saved. It’s about making sure breakthroughs happen here – and stay here – creating jobs, improving lives in every part of the country, and driving growth.
Life sciences’ critical importance to both driving economic growth and improving our health – 2 of the core elements of the Plan for Change – has been shown through the government’s action to date to support the sector. The Chancellor re-committed up to £520 million for the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund at the Spending Review to pull investment into the UK, and red tape is being slashed to speed up clinical trials, while an up to £600 million investment will deliver a Health Data Research Service that will be unmatched globally – bringing the power of data to bear to unlock breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
The plan sets out a comprehensive roadmap built around 3 core pillars:
1. Enabling World-Class R&D – strengthening the UK’s leadership in science and discovery
2. Making the UK an outstanding place to start, scale and invest – growing homegrown companies and attracting global capital
3. Driving Health Innovation and NHS Reform – delivering better outcomes for patients and a more modern, preventative healthcare system
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 £2 billion, alongside funding from UKRI and NIHR. Actions include:
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1. Unlocking NHS data to find new cures
Up to £600 million investment to build the world’s most advanced health data system – helping scientists develop better treatments faster.
2. Speeding up clinical trials
Cutting red tape so patients can join trials sooner – and get access to life-changing medicines quicker.
3. Backing British manufacturing
Up to £520 million to invest in life sciences manufacturing projects – creating high-skilled jobs and making more treatments and medical devices here at home.
4. 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.
5. Helping doctors use cutting-edge tech
A new NHS ‘passport’ to roll out proven tools faster – like AI cancer scanners or wearable devices that detect disease early.
6. Backing brilliant UK firms to grow
Helping fast-growing companies raise investment, scale up, and stay in the UK – with at least one major industry partnership secured every year.
Built for Delivery
This 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.
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Early Momentum
The plan builds on the Chancellor’s commitment to reduce regulatory costs by a quarter, with increased investment in the MHRA to accelerate approvals and improve efficiency. It aims to streamline MedTech market entry through closer coordination between the MHRA and NICE.
The government is also focused on strengthening the UK’s clinical research infrastructure by improving trial delivery, expanding patient access, and embedding research more effectively within the NHS.
We have already started delivering on key actions, from investing up to £600 million in the Health Data Research Service alongside Wellcome, through to committing over £650 million in Genomics England and up to £354 million in Our Future Health, while the rollout of ‘innovator passports’ will help speed up the adoption of new tech and treatments on the NHS. This is clear evidence of our commitment and confidence in life sciences as a driver of both economic growth and better health outcomes.
Why Life Sciences Matter
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:
The plan comes just days on the same day as the fourth “Made in the UK, Sold to the World” Roadshow, a government-led initiative designed to boost SME exports in the Life Sciences sector.
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The roadshow focuses on the 8 sectors highlighted in the modern industrial strategy, forming part of the government’s commitment to supporting high-growth industries with the greatest potential to create jobs, increase productivity, and drive long-term economic growth.
Support for the Life Sciences Sector Plan
Professor Sir John Bell, President of the Ellison Institute of Technology and UK Government Life Sciences Champion said:
Deepak Nath, CEO of Smith+Nephew, said:
Dr Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK, said:
Tim Sheppard, SVP & GM, North Europe, IQVIA, said:
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
Lord Ara Darzi, Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery, Imperial College London, Consultant Surgeon, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Independent Member of the House of Lords said:
Dr. Vin Diwakar, Clinical Transformation Director at NHS England, said:
Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive of the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) said:
Paul Tredwell, Executive Vice President of Accord Healthcare said:
Nicola Perrin MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) said:
Dr Samantha Walker, Director of Research and Innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, says:
Louis Taylor CBE, CEO of the British Business Bank, said:
Mike Fairbourn, Vice President & General Manager, UK & Ireland for Becton Dickinson said:
Dr Daniel Mahony, Chair of the UK BioIndustry Association said:
Dr Kevin Lee, CEO of Bicycle Therapeutics said:
Professor Sir Rory Collins, Principal Investigator and Chief Executive of UK Biobank, said:
Professor Ugur Sahin, Managing Director, CEO and Co-Founder of BioNTech said:
Helen Dent, CEO of British In Vitro Diagnostic Association (BIVDA) said:
Hyoungki Kim, CEO and Vice Chairman of Celltrion, said:
Massimiliano Collela, Chief Executive Officer of CMR Surgical, said:
Lars Petersen, President & Chief Executive Officer of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, said:
Richard Stubbs, Chair of the Health Innovation Network said:
Yamin Mohammed Khan, CEO of hVIVO said:
Mark Robinson, Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland, and North Europe at Illumina, said:
Dr Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair of Innovate UK said:
David Marante, Vice President UK and Ireland at Intuitive, said:
Mark Samuels, Chief Executive of Medicines UK, said:
Lawrence Tallon, Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said:
Kit Erlebach, Chairperson of the UK’s Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP) and Senior Director, Engineering at FUJIFILM Biotechnologies UK said:
Darius Hughes, UK General Manager for Moderna, said:
Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said:
Matthew Taylor CBE, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said:
Dr Sam Roberts, Chief Executive of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), said:
Ros Deegan, CEO of OMass Therapeutics, said:
Dr. Lucinda Crabtree, Chief Financial Officer of Oxford Biomedica, said:
Gordon Sanghera CBE, CEO and Co-founder of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, said:
Roland Sinker CBE, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Richard Saynor, CEO of Sandoz said:
Neil Daly, CEO and Founder of Skin Analytics, said:
Dr Michael Spence, University College London President and Provost said:
John-Arne Røttingen, CEO of Wellcome, said:
Notes to Editors
The full collection of Industrial Strategy sector plans can be found here.