Drop in UK business innovation ‘cause for real concern’

Survey shows innovation ‘has fallen off a cliff’ and is at lowest level since 2008-10

Official data showing a decrease in UK business innovation activity is “cause for real concern” ahead of post-coronavirus recovery, an organisation representing business and university leaders has warned.

According to the government’s 2019 UK Innovation Survey, just 38 per cent of UK businesses were engaged in innovation between 2016 and 2018—a decrease of 11 percentage points since 2014-16 and the lowest level since 2008-10, when it was at 37 per cent.