UK government allocates £78 million for quantum technology projects

The UK government announced £78 million in total funding on October 13, 2026, to support quantum sensing, navigation, and communications technologies.

The package, delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), includes a £50 million competition aimed at helping businesses commercialise quantum technologies for transport, health, and defense applications.

Among the supported projects, West Midlands-based MoniRail received funding to develop a quantum tracking system that identifies railway track and signalling faults where GPS signals are unavailable. Bristol-based Siloton secured backing for a handheld quantum eye scanner designed for community settings to help shorten NHS hospital waiting lists.

Oxford-based ColdQuanta UK plans to develop a compact quantum radio system that locates radio signals for emergency services, critical infrastructure, and military operations, according to UKRI. Other backed projects include a wearable brain scanner from Cerca Magnetics, a satellite navigation clock from Oxford-based Quantum Fabrix, and greenhouse gas monitoring technology from Wales-based QLM Technology.

In addition to the business competition, UKRI allocated £20 million to its Enabling Commercial Quantum Networking competition to strengthen supply chains for quantum communication networks.

A further £8 million will expand the QuEST Apprentices Programme. The initiative aims to train 150 apprentices in engineering and quantum skills by 2030 to meet sector demand.

"Quantum has long been an exciting technology, but now real world applications are within our grasp," science, innovation and investment minister Chris McDonald said. "UK innovators are showing us what these breakthroughs could mean for our lives in the near future, from cutting down on train delays, to earlier appointments at in-demand areas of the NHS, to keeping our armed forces safe and connected as they protect our country."

The package follows a £10 million investment announced in June to create the National Quantum Standards Network. That project, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and led by the National Physical Laboratory, focuses on establishing technical standards to assist UK companies selling products globally.