DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates: Research and Development (R&D), 2024
Official statistics in development providing an estimate of expenditure on R&D by UK businesses in the DCMS sectors.
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About
These Economic Estimates are official statistics in development providing an estimate of expenditure on R&D by UK businesses in the DCMS sectors.
We advise caution when interpreting comparisons over time. The ONS advises that while all estimates produced using the BERD data are affected by sample rotation, the impact of this can be more pronounced when analysing the data by industry, which may affect estimates for DCMS sectors. As such, industry estimates are more useful as a point in time estimate only, as data movements between years may not necessarily reflect the actual R&D growth in these industries.
Headline findings
In 2024, expenditure on R&D by businesses in the included DCMS sectors was an estimated £10.5 billion, 19% of the R&D expenditure by UK businesses overall (£55.6 billion). This was an increase of £0.3 billion (3%) in real terms between 2023 and 2024, following a small decrease of £0.1 billion (1%) in real terms between 2022 and 2023.
Expenditure on R&D by businesses in both DCMS sectors and the economy as a whole was higher in London than in any other region in 2024, with expenditure by businesses in the included DCMS sectors more concentrated in London than for UK businesses overall (57% compared to 24%).
Estimates of R&D expenditure by businesses in the included DCMS sectors (which overlap with each other) in 2024:
- Creative industries: £9.4 billion, accounting for 89% of total R&D expenditure by the included DCMS sectors and 17% of expenditure by UK businesses overall.
- Cultural sector: £0.6 billion, accounting for 6% of total R&D expenditure by the included DCMS sectors and 1% of expenditure by UK businesses overall.
- Tourism industries*: £0.9 billion, accounting for 8% of total R&D expenditure by the included DCMS sectors and 2% of expenditure by UK businesses overall.
- Sport sector: £0.9 billion, accounting for 9% of total R&D expenditure by the included DCMS sectors and 2% of expenditure by UK businesses overall.
- R&D expenditure for the Gambling sector is not available for 2024 to prevent the disclosure of respondent information in line with ONS disclosure rules.
*Tourism industries estimates in this release are constructed on a different basis to the tourism sector estimates in our other economic estimates and will be larger as they take into account the entire industry rather than strictly tourism activity.
Estimates of R&D expenditure by businesses in the civil society sector are not available in this release because these organisations are not identifiable in the data source.
Due to sampling and methodology changes to the BERD survey in 2022, estimates in this release are not directly comparable to previous estimates produced using BERD data for years before 2022. This includes estimates published by the ONS on Expenditure on research and development performed in UK businesses in the Creative Industries sector, 2020. More information on these changes is available in the accompanying technical report.
Content
These statistics cover the contributions of the following DCMS sectors to the UK economy;
- Creative Industries
- Cultural Sector
- Gambling
- Sport
- Tourism industries (constructed on a different basis to the tourism sector estimates in our other economic estimates releases)
Users should note that there is overlap between DCMS sector definitions and that several cultural sector industries are simultaneously creative industries.
The release also includes separate estimates for the audio visual and computer games sectors.
A definition for each sector is available in the published data tables. Further information on all these sectors is available in the associated technical report along with details of methods and data limitations.
Released
These statistics were first published on 30th April 2026.
Official statistics in development
These statistics are labelled as official statistics in development. Official statistics in development are official statistics that are undergoing development and will be tested with users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. These R&D estimates are designed to complement our other economic estimates and to give a deeper understanding of the economic performance of DCMS sectors to the UK economy. They are being published as official statistics in development because:
- We will be exploring further improvements, including the feasibility of additional breakdowns, and the development of measures to understand the quality of the estimates, such as standard errors.
- We will be seeking user feedback on the usefulness of the statistics, the suitability of the methodology used and how clearly the statistics are communicated, including explanations about quality.
In this release we have introduced a number of improvements, including:
- Adding a breakdown for included DCMS sectors based on ownership (UK-owned vs overseas-owned)
- Publishing inflation-adjusted estimates for total R&D expenditure by DCMS sector and by region for DCMS sectors and the creative industries.
We will continue to seek user feedback about this release. We will consider this feedback and make an assessment about whether the statistics still remain in development or if the label can be removed for the next annual R&D release, expected in 2027. If you have any feedback on this release, please send this to evidence@dcms.gov.uk.
Office for Statistics Regulation
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards by emailing evidence@dcms.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
Pre-release access
The accompanying pre-release access document lists ministers and officials who have received privileged early access to this release. In line with best practice, the list has been kept to a minimum and those given access for briefing purposes had a maximum of 24 hours.
Contact
Responsible analyst: Florence Wragg
For any queries or feedback, please contact evidence@dcms.gov.uk