English research spending will remain stable in 2015 and 2016; however, universities will face cuts. According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) February grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, university funding will decline from £4.1 billion ($6.8 billion) in 2015 to £4.0 billion in 2016. Core funding for research will stay the same as in 2014 at £1.57 billion for both 2015 and 2016. Increases in capital spending include £200 million for facilities to teach science and an additional £17 million for 2016. However, the letter emphasized that £238 million of savings in quality-related research funding must be made between 2011 and 2015. Funding for the seven UK research councils was also announced this month and shows a £115 million increase for 2016, bringing the total to £4.7 billion. The increase is the result of the transfer of the £79 million International Programme and Emerging Powers Fund to the BIS and a £51 million increase for the councils.

Source: Nature News Blog