In 2023, the UK government’s total R&D personnel was at 2.12 (million researchers). The forecast from 2024 to 2028 shows a consistent annual decline in the number of researchers. Year-on-year, the number of government R&D personnel is projected to decrease by 11.58% in 2025, 12.50% in 2026, 14.29% in 2027, and 16.67% in 2028. This creates a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately -12.43% over five years, highlighting a significant contraction in government R&D manpower.

Future trends to watch for:

Reduced funding for R&D may further exacerbate this decline.
Policy shifts to boost innovation and investment in R&D personnel could reverse this trend.
Global competition for R&D talent might impact the UK's strategic planning in research sectors.