UK Physics Leaders Express 'Deep Concern' Over Funding Cuts in Letter to Science Minister Patrick Vallance
The heads of university physics departments in the UK have published an open letter expressing their 'deep concern' about funding changes announced late last year by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the umbrella organisation for the UK's research councils. Addressed to science minister Patrick Vallance, the letter highlights the reputational risk posed by the cuts and calls for strategic clarity and stability to ensure the UK's physics community can thrive.
The letter, signed by 58 individuals representing 45 different universities, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Imperial College, Liverpool, Manchester, and Oxford, warns that the changes at UKRI risk undermining science's fundamental role in improving prosperity, health, and quality of life, as well as delivering sustainable growth through innovation, productivity, and scientific leadership.
The signatories emphasise that the UK's international standing in physics is a strategic asset, with areas like particle physics, astronomy, and nuclear physics deemed especially important. The decision to write to Vallance comes on the heels of UKRI's announcement in December that it would adjust how it allocates government funding for scientific research and infrastructure.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UKRI, stated that projects would need to be cut due to inflation, rising energy costs, and unfavourable foreign exchange rate movements, increasing the STFC's annual costs by over £50 million. The STFC plans to reduce spending from its core budget by at least 30% over the 2024/2025 levels and cut the number of projects financed by its infrastructure fund.
Philip Burrows, director of the John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science at the University of Oxford, warns that the cuts are akin to buying a Formula-1 car without the driver, as a large fraction of the STFC's expenditure pays for UK subscriptions to international facilities and the operation of UK's flagship national facilities. Burrows expresses concern that the funding cuts will disproportionately affect the science programme, as most of the STFC's budget supports scientists conducting research at these facilities.
The letter highlights the potential weakening of the UK's talent pipeline for innovation, as constraining certain areas of physics risks damaging the competitive advantage of UK researchers. It also emphasises the substantial public engagement and cultural impact of fundamental physics, which strengthens public support for science and reinforces the UK's reputation as a global scientific leader.
The signatories express particular concern about the UK's ability to lead the scientific exploitation of major international projects, warning that an abrupt pause in funding for key international science programmes could harm UK researchers' competitive advantage into the 2040s. The letter calls on the government to work with UKRI and STFC to stabilise curiosity-driven grants for physics within the STFC, ensuring at least flat funding in real terms, and to protect post-docs, students, and technicians from the cuts.
Additionally, the letter urges the UK to develop a long-term strategy for infrastructure and for the government to address facility cost pressures through dedicated and equitable mechanisms, ensuring that external shocks do not erode the UK's research base in STFC-funded areas. The news comes as Michele Dougherty, who also holds the position of executive chair of the STFC, stepped down from her role as IOP president due to a conflict of interest, with Paul Howarth becoming the new IOP president.
