R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity was 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2017. ▲ Rising
R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom, 2005–2017
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons (full-time equivalent).
Analysis
In 2017, r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom stood at 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent). That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 10.3% on the previous year and up 47.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom peaked at 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2017 and was at its lowest, 145,400 Persons (full-time equivalent), in 2005.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Persons (full-time equivalent) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 145,400 Persons (full-time equivalent) | — |
| 2006 | 149,473 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 157,323 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 152,173 Persons (full-time equivalent) | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 151,494 Persons (full-time equivalent) | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 154,870 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 158,385 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 160,116 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 177,948 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +11.1% |
| 2014 | 192,221 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 206,153 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 209,584 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +10.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 151,173 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 145,400 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 157,323 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 5 |
| 2010s | 186,314 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 154,870 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 8 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 1 Japan 626,709 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 2 Germany 543,452 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 3 France 311,701 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 4 Türkiye 190,341 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 4 Taiwan 243,658 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 5 Canada 200,300 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 5 Netherlands 140,132 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 6 Italy 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 6 Poland 120,514 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom
- Index of digital trade integration and openness 0.2724 Index (2024)
- Index of digital trade integration and openness (INDIGO) — E. Wider 0.0496 Index (2024)
- Index of digital trade integration and openness (INDIGO) — D. 0.0615 Index (2024)
- Index of digital trade integration and openness (INDIGO) — C. Trust 0.078 Index (2024)
- Index of digital trade integration and openness (INDIGO) — A. 0.0545 Index (2024)
- Index of digital trade integration and openness (INDIGO) — B. Openess 0.0288 Index (2024)
- Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index — Electronic transactions 0.0212 Index (2025)
- Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index — Infrastructure and 0 Index (2025)
- Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index — Other barriers 0 Index (2025)
- Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index — Payment system 0 Index (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom?
- R&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in United Kingdom was 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2017, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2017.
- What is the lowest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 145,400 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2005.
- How does United Kingdom rank for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity?
- United Kingdom ranks 3rd out of 12 countries with data for 2017.
- Is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This table presents research and development (R&D) statistics on personnel in the business enterprise sector. Measured in full-time equivalent are the number of total R&D personnel and researchers in the business enterprise sector by industry according to the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) revision 4. Data at the industry level are presented from 2000, first year from which some countries converted their data from ISIC rev.3.1 to the current ISIC rev. 4 classification.