According to independent charity Nesta’s Innovation Index, which was released this month and provides data about UK private-sector spending from 1990 to 2009, €124.2 billion ($203.6 billion) was spent on intangible assets, consisting of “R&D, design, organizational improvement, training and skills development, software development, advertising and market research, and other knowledge investments” in 2009. The same year, the UK spent €92.7 billion on tangible assets, which include equipment, machines and facilities. From 2008 to 2009, intangible spending and tangible spending fell 3.3% and 20.0% to 12% and 9% of private-sector output, respectively. R&D spending stayed flat in 2009 at €16.2 billion, or 13% of intangible asset investment. Scientific R&D investment fell 2.8%. Of total 2009 private-sector R&D investment, 86% was spent on scientific R&D, 9% was spent on financial innovation and 5% was spent on non-scientific R&D.

Source: Nesta