Patently Absurd

New research from the Centre for Policy Studies, based on UK and global patent filings, shows that despite world-class universities and a strong science base, Britain produces fewer patents per person than most major economies, including France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. The UK has also fallen out of the world’s top five in the Global Innovation Index for the first time in over a decade.

More concerning still, innovation in Britain is declining at the same time as it is accelerating in other global markets. ‘Patently Absurd’ by researcher Ayushma Maharjan highlights the fact that between 2000 and 2024, there has been a 50% decline in resident patent filings in Britain, compared to huge increases in Singapore (268%), South Korea (169%), and the United States (66%). 

The report also shows that while the UK is spending above-average amounts on R&D, and has been increasing funding rapidly in recent years, the country has not been able to translate that into patentable ideas. Singapore, China, and France all produce more patent applications per million people despite lower or comparable spending levels. This is partly because R&D in the UK is atypically concentrated in universities, with businesses spending $3 on R&D for every $1 spent in universities, compared to $7 in the US and Japan or $9 in China and South Korea.

The report argues that the key to turning this situation around is not more spending on R&D, or more industrial strategies and innovation plans, but for Britain to address the fundamental problems with its competitive position in terms of tax, infrastructure and ease of doing business.