Tag: UKRI

Families ‘left in dark’ on UPFs risks to children: UKRI dialogue

Stuart Mitchell

People across the UK worry processed foods may harm children’s health but say a lack of clear evidence leaves families in the dark, UKRI public dialogue found. UK families expressed widespread concern about how ultra-processed foods (UPFs) could be affecting: pregnancy child development mental health obesity long‑term health outcomes Many said that without clear evidence, they are unaware of the consequences of diets increasingly dominated by these foods. They would now like to see urgent research to understand the risks. A year-long public dialogue This is just one of many…

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£50m research and innovation programme launched to make Britain’s streets safer for everyone

Stuart Mitchell

New research and innovation programme set as part of the Safer Streets Mission. Funding to go to projects to help reduce violence against women and girls, and knife crime. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has launched five Safer Streets Challenges backed by £50 million of funding, as part of the government’s £500 million Research and Development Missions Accelerator Programme (R&D MAP). This will bring together researchers, innovators, communities, policing and frontline practitioners to tackle the crimes that affect people’s daily lives, using research and innovation to create solutions. The R&D…

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Plant scientists tackle major threat to UK wheat 

Stuart Mitchell

Ancient wheat collections might hold the secret to tackling a new pathogen strain that could devastate UK wheat crops. A fungus known as yellow rust can destroy wheat, reducing harvests and driving up prices, which in turn can affect the price of staple foods like bread and pasta. One mechanism keeping it under control is to use wheat varieties with natural genetic resistance to the pathogen. New strains of yellow rust in the UK But last year, new strains of yellow rust appeared in UK wheat fields that have overcome this critical genetic defence and are posing a threat to wheat crops.…

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UK Research and Innovation launches creative industries strategy

Stuart Mitchell

UKRI’s high-level R&D strategy for the creative and cultural economy will ensure research and innovation drives and sustains growth in the creative industries. Today, at the MusicFutures Creative Industries Cluster in Liverpool, Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray announced, the strategy for the creative and cultural economy. The strategy will help UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) ensure its investments in the creative industries drive economic growth across the UK. Minister Murray also referenced £500 million of funding for the creative industries, including: £369 million allocated to the creative industries by UKRI, of which £100 million is specifically allocated to supporting innovative…

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UKRI publishes 2025 equal pay audit

Stuart Mitchell

The 2025 equal pay audit builds on the 2022 audit and is delivered in line with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) methodology. The audit sits alongside the organisation’s annual gender pay gap reporting and forms part of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) wider reward and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategies. Equal pay findings The 2025 equal pay audit shows there are no significant differences in pay for equal work across UKRI, as defined by the EHRC threshold of plus or minus 5%. When analysing the gap between…

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