The UK Government unveiled its new Life Sciences Sector Plan on 16 July 2025, designed as a central pillar of its broader Industrial Strategy. The Plan lays out a 10-year mission to capitalise on British scientific leadership to drive long-term economic growth and deliver a more modern, prevention-focused NHS.[1]
Developed alongside the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, the Life Sciences Sector Plan aims to accelerate medical innovation, enable faster diagnosis and ultimately save more lives. It represents a coordinated push to position the UK as a global leader in life sciences, not only as an economic leader but also as a driver of transformative healthcare.[2]
A Strategic Framework: Three Core Pillars
The Plan is anchored by three strategic pillars that form the basis of the Government’s long-term vision:
- Enabling World-Class R&D – Strengthening the UK’s leadership in science and discovery.
- Making the UK an outstanding place to start, scale and invest – Growing homegrown companies and attracting global capital.
- Driving Health Innovation and NHS Reform – Delivering better outcomes for patients and a more modern, preventative healthcare system.
Together, these pillars aim to ensure that the UK remains globally competitive while tackling pressing health challenges domestically, such as rising chronic disease, NHS capacity pressures and workforce resilience.
Investment and Policy Commitments
The UK Government has pledged over £2 billion in funding during the current Spending Review period, supported by UKRI and NIHR. The Plan includes several headline initiatives:
- 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.
- Speeding up clinical trials: Cutting red tape so patients can join trials sooner and get access to life-changing medicines quicker.
- 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.
- Getting new treatments to patients faster: Making regulation simpler and faster by boosting departmental support for the MHRA with additional investment with aim of allowing doctors to use safe, effective innovations without delay.
- 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.
- 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.
Industry and Stakeholder Engagement
The Plan was developed in consultation with over 250 stakeholders, including clinicians, scientists, NHS leaders, and industry representatives.
The Government has stated that the Plan aligns with the Chancellor’s pledge to reduce regulatory costs by 25 per cent with new measures to improve coordination between regulatory bodies such as the MHRA and NICE. According to the Plan, this regulatory reform is aimed at enhancing the UK’s clinical research ecosystem and removing barriers for MedTech market entry.
The Strategic Importance of Life Sciences in the UK
The UK’s life sciences sector is a major contributor to both national health and economic strength. It employs over 300,000 people and continues to attract record levels of private investment. In 2023, the UK raised the third-highest amount of life sciences equity finance globally, trailing only the US and China.
Beyond economic metrics, the Plan underscores the role of life sciences in improving public health outcomes, reducing pressure on the NHS and boosting productivity.
Public-Private Partnerships
The Plan sets an intention to secure at least one major strategic partnership annually with leading life sciences companies. It also refers to a dedicated service that will help 10-20 high-potential UK companies to scale, attract investment and remained headquartered in the UK.[3]
Regional Impact
The Plan states that the UK Government will work with devolved government to coordinate life sciences growth. Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England and local growth plans will be utilised to develop ‘investable propositions’ for life sciences in different regions.[4]
The Plan indicates that the Government wants to harness life sciences clusters across the UK, not just in London and the South East.[5]
Progress to Date
According to the Government, several foundational investments have already been made, including:
- Up to £600 million for the Health Data Research Service, in collaboration with Wellcome.
- Over £650 million for Genomics England.
- Up to £354 million for the Our Future Health programme.
These early-stage investments lay the foundation for the Plan’s ambitions, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to long-term, systemic change in how healthcare is delivered and discovered in the UK.
Next Steps
The Government has established a ministerially chaired Life Sciences Delivery Board, bringing together public sector leaders, to assess progress and drive delivery of the Life Sciences Sector Plan.[6]
The Plan states that the Government will formally review progress in 2030, unless there is a fundamental reason to do so at an earlier stage, to provide stability and certainty of future policy decisions.[7]
Background to Brevia Health
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[1] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
[2] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
[3] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
[4] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
[5] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
[6] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
[7] Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, HM Treasury and The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, ‘Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS’, 16 July 2025, Link
