UK Sector Grants

Healthcare & Life Sciences Business Grants

The UK life sciences sector benefits from substantial government investment through UKRI, NHS innovation programmes, and dedicated biotech funding. Grants support research, development, and commercialisation of healthcare innovations.

43grants available
Innovation, growth & development funding

Medical Research Funding

UKRI, MRC, and charity funders support biomedical research and early-stage development. Academic-industry partnerships can access significant research grant funding.

NHS Innovation

NHS programmes including SBRI Healthcare and Academic Health Science Networks support health tech companies to develop and deploy innovations within the healthcare system.

Regulatory & Commercialisation

Grants help life sciences companies navigate regulatory approval and commercialisation. This includes clinical trial support and market access assistance.

UK Life Sciences & Health Grants

43 grants found

open
Medical Research Council (MRC)

UKRI translation: MRC proof of concept: stage two

Apply for funding to develop and test novel therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics and other interventions across any stage of the developmental pathway, from prototype development, through pre-clinical refinement, to early-phase clinical studies (up to phase 2a).

No funding limit (Total fund: £10,000,000)UK Wide4 Nov 2026
Life Sciences & HealthGrants & Funding
open
Medical Research Council (MRC)

Invite only: Precision prevention: biological mechanisms of response variation

Apply for funding to investigate why biomedical prevention interventions work differently across people. Projects must generate mechanistic evidence in humans by testing biomedical experimental interventions or challenges in pre-disease or early disease states, providing insight into how to improve the targeting and effectiveness of precision prevention strategies.

Up to £5,000,000UK Wide5 Nov 2026
Life Sciences & HealthGrants & Funding
open
Medical Research Council (MRC)

UKRI Translation: MRC Proof of Concept: stage one

Apply for funding to develop and test novel therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics and other interventions across any stage of the developmental pathway, from prototype development, through pre-clinical refinement, to early-phase clinical studies (up to phase 2a).

VariesUK Wide18 Nov 2026
Life Sciences & HealthGrants & Funding
upcoming
Medical Research Council (MRC)

UK Obesity Research Institute

Director-led applications to investigate mechanistic biomedical drivers of obesity and related cardiometabolic disease and deliver transformative impact in obesity research. The director, supported by a leadership team, will lead the design and delivery of a collaborative institute focusing on key barriers to unlock understanding of the causes and consequences of obesity to enable targeted prevention and treatment.

Up to £60,000,000UK Wide19 Nov 2026
Life Sciences & HealthGrants & Funding
upcoming
Medical Research Council (MRC)

MRC Centre of Research Excellence: round five: outline application

Apply for MRC Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE) funding to tackle complex and interdisciplinary health challenges. MRC CoREs will be funded for up to 14 years, with an initial seven-year award based on 80% FEC funding.

Up to £21,000,000UK Wide3 Feb 2027
Life Sciences & HealthGrants & Funding
open
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

BBSRC Brazil pump-priming award (FAPPA)

Pump-priming awards supported by BBSRC and FAPESP for BBSRC-supported researchers and consortia of academics to collaborate with Brazilian counterparts.

Up to £35,000UK WideRolling
Life Sciences & HealthGrants & Funding
closed
West of England Combined Authority

Bristol Business and Enterprise Support (BrisBES)

BrisBES is a programme that delivers high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable support to Bristol's entrepreneurs and businesses.

SupportSouth West31 Mar 2026
All SectorsBusiness Support
closed
Nottingham City Council

UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) - Nottingham

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a funding programme that aims to support local businesses and communities.

Up to £4.6mUK Wide31 Mar 2026
All SectorsGrants & Funding
rolling
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs - Forestry Commission - Nature for Climate Fund

England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)

Supports the establishment of new woodlands, administered by the Forestry Commission.

From £4,000 to £2 millionUK Wide31 Mar 2027
All SectorsGreen & Sustainability
rolling
Invest Northern Ireland

Knowledge Transfer Partnership

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a subsidised three-way partnership between a business, a high‑calibre graduate and an academic institution, providing a cost‑effective way for businesses to attract fresh talent and access university expertise to drive strategic innovation and growth.

VariesNorthern IrelandRolling
All SectorsInnovation & R&D
rolling

Leadership for Growth

The Leadership for Growth programme is designed to develop the capabilities of aspiring managers and leaders within scale‑up potential SMEs across Liverpool City Region.

VariesNorth WestRolling
All SectorsSkills & Training
rolling
on the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority website

Great Ideas – York and North Yorkshire

A fully funded innovation support programme, with access to innovation grants of up to £60,000.

VariesYorkshire & HumberRolling
All SectorsGrants & Funding

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UK life sciences & health grants