Forecast for the total internal R&D personnel in the UK’s computer programming, consultancy, and related activities shows a consistent upward trend from 2024 to 2028, with values starting at 40.32 thousand and growing to 44.68 thousand. This represents a steady increase year-on-year, around 2.8% to 2.5% annually. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over these five years is approximately 2.6%.

Future trends to watch for include:

Potential increases in automation and AI, which may affect R&D personnel needs.
Government and private sector investments in tech and innovation driving demand for skilled professionals.
Greater focus on cybersecurity and data management requiring specialized R&D roles.