Statement: Autumn Budget marks step in the right direction for research in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Cancer Research, along with universities, researchers, organisations and people affected by cancer across Yorkshire and the North of England, has been calling on the government to address the stark regional inequalities in health research funding.

In today’s Budget, the Chancellor set out his ambition to ‘unleash innovation and growth in every postcode’, alongside a commitment to direct more research and development funding into regions across the country. This is a welcome step towards ensuring more communities can benefit from the opportunities that research and innovation bring.

However, this commitment applies only to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding, while most publicly funded clinical research is supported through the Department of Health and Social Care. As a result, it is unlikely to significantly reduce regional inequalities in health research.  

The commitment also gives local leaders greater influence over research funding decisions. While it is important to build on existing regional strengths, this must be balanced with targeted investment in areas that have historically received less support.  

Without a deliberate focus on strengthening health research capacity in underfunded regions, funding is likely to continue flowing to places with more established research infrastructure. While Yorkshire offers vital research expertise, it does not benefit from the same scale of dedicated research facilities and investment as other regions, meaning it may continue to miss out.

Health research brings vital national benefits, driving innovation throughout the NHS and enabling researchers to find new and better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat cancer. On a local level, it helps people access potentially life-saving research opportunities closer to home while supporting economic growth in the communities where that research takes place.  

Greater investment in health research must be made across all regions to help achieve the Chancellor's ambition to 'unleash innovation and growth across every postcode.' Otherwise, longstanding regional inequalities in access to clinical trials and research-led healthcare will persist, creating an unfair postcode lottery in who can benefit from the latest cancer breakthroughs.

Yorkshire Cancer Research will continue to call for a fairer approach to clinical research funding, so people in Yorkshire can have an equal chance to benefit from life-saving research, regardless of where they live.