Budget paints disappointing picture for charity research and healthcare

Today’s Budget paints a disappointing picture for both patients and charity-funded medical research as the country looks to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stalling progress

While we were pleased to hear the Government restate ambitions for the UK to remain a science superpower, we are yet to see significant support for charity-funded research that has been affected by the pandemic.

The decision not to recognise the critical and unique contribution of medical research charities to the UK R&D ecosystem in this Budget is incredibly disappointing, and we fear this omission may hamper the UK’s social and economic recovery, as well as hinder the Government’s goal of reaching 2.4% of GDP investment in R&D.

We are concerned that this lack of support will have a long term impact on progress in cardiovascular research, and our ability to fund future researchers. We currently fund the majority (55%) of non-commercial research into heart and circulatory diseases, but this financial year we have had to halve our research budget to £50 million because of the pandemic.

While we remain committed to funding pioneering cardiovascular research, the absence of financial support from the Government this year could threaten to stall critical progress across all heart and circulatory diseases, having negative implications for patients and the next generation of researchers.

Better prevention and treatment of diseases

This pandemic has thrown a spotlight on just how important it is to build a healthy and resilient nation as we emerge from Covid-19. So, it is disappointing not to see any further investment announced for public health, particularly with the reorganisation of Public Health England due later this year.

Councils and local health authorities need a long-term, sustainable solution to allow them to deliver effective and equitable public health measures, such as smoking cessation and weight management services.

As the NHS still grapples with the enormous impact of the pandemic, it was shocking not to hear more from the Chancellor about how it will be equipped to deal with the huge backlog of people who need non-Covid care. If it is to meet this demand and prevent further unnecessary deaths from heart and circulatory diseases, the NHS will need significantly more funding now and in the long term to not only restore routine care for patients but expand services to deal with increased demand.

Further charity support needed

It is also disappointing that the Government has not taken the chance to use this Budget to widen the support available for charities. The £750 million package of support for charities announced last April was inaccessible to many and did not go far enough to address a predicted £10 billion shortfall across the sector for 2020.

The six-month extension to the furlough scheme and the business rates holiday is welcome, but we know it won’t make up for the losses charities such as the BHF have faced over the last year. Furthermore, Restart Grants for non-essential retail could provide vital relief for our shops, but we are awaiting clarity on whether they, like other business support measures, are still subject to EU State Aid rules or other subsidy control caps which may prevent us from claiming this much needed support.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive, said: “Today’s Budget leaves life saving research at risk and does not give the NHS the means to clear the vast backlogs of treatment and care caused by the pandemic.

“Without Government support, charity-funded medical research faces devastation, and could leave a generation of young researchers without funding. This could reverse decades of scientific progress in developing new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat heart and circulatory diseases.

“NHS cardiac services meanwhile face a huge challenge, with tens of thousands of life saving operations and procedures delayed or cancelled. The reality is the health service needs more funding now and in the long term to restore and expand services so they are able to meet increased demand.”

Our research