The UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) will reduce its particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN) science budget by 2.7% over four years while protecting discovery research in those fields. The council announced the outcome of its prioritisation programme on 27 July 2026 in its official statement.
The decision sets the direction for funding after current agreements end. It does not interrupt projects already under way, but it narrows how STFC expects to allocate future support across PPAN. Researchers, students, businesses and facilities relying on that support will therefore see the practical effects through later grant decisions rather than an immediate change to existing work.
Current grants remain unchanged
STFC said projects already covered by active grant arrangements will continue through the end of those agreements. The prioritisation exercise concerns funding after those commitments expire, so the immediate position for current projects is continuity under their existing terms.
Future support will be subject to expert peer review. STFC’s stated priorities favour infrastructure and research capabilities that underpin the UK’s world-leading research base. The future position of an individual project will consequently depend on how it fits those priorities and on the outcome of subsequent assessment.
Why STFC is concentrating future investment
STFC, which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said it began the exercise because its future costs were expected to rise. The council identified higher energy costs, adverse exchange-rate movements, rising staffing costs and a broader activity portfolio as pressures on its budget.
Its stated aim is to concentrate investment on projects with the greatest long-term impact while keeping STFC’s finances sustainable. That creates a clear compromise: discovery research remains protected, but the available capacity for future PPAN support will be distributed more selectively, with infrastructure and research capabilities receiving particular emphasis.
The wider funding context is also important. The UK government awarded UKRI a record level of funding in the 2025 Spending Review, while STFC’s central budget is expected to remain stable from 2026 to 2030. Against that background, the 2.7% reduction applies specifically to the PPAN science budget, even as STFC says it will protect discovery research.
What researchers and facilities should watch next
STFC says its facilities will continue to support thousands of researchers, students and businesses each year. The confirmed change is therefore the framework for future investment, not a cancellation of current grant agreements. The concrete effect on individual projects and facilities will emerge through future peer-review and funding decisions once existing arrangements reach their end.
The prioritisation programme was developed with the research community, STFC’s expert advisory bodies and specialist staff. UKRI’s board approved the outcome on 1 July 2026 following a recommendation from UKRI’s executive committee.
For now, active projects retain their current agreements and discovery research remains a protected priority. The longer-term distribution of PPAN support, however, will depend on the new priorities and expert assessment after those agreements expire.
