Published: June 2022

This infographic outlines key facts and figures about our members and the research they fund to highlight the innovative work of medical research charities. To facilitate the sharing of these stats, you can view and download the individual graphics.

You can find an in-depth discussion of their research expenditure in this briefing. 

Data sources and notes:

Our sector’s footprint in 2021

• 151: Number of current AMRC member charities as of June 2022.
• £15bn: Total research spend in the UK from 2012 to 2021 by AMRC members.
• £1.55bn: Collective research spend in the UK for the financial year ending in 2021 by 150 AMRC members; £1.12bn: £1,116.2m, page 32 of NIHR annual report 2020/21; £0.83bn: £830m, p.24 on the UKRI annual report.
• Every £1m: See The contribution to of medical research funding by charities to the UK economy report from the Fraser of Allander Institute (March 2022) for full explanation of calculations and all assumptions.

Providing vital funding for research

• 88%: The percent of AMRC member grants active in 2021 in the UK where the host institution was a university.
• 20,000: Total number of researchers whose salaries/studentships were paid for by AMRC charities in 2021. 2,800: number of PhD students. Based on estimates provided by AMRC members in our annual member survey.
• Figure showing spread of primary areas of research focus for AMRC members. The size of each box relates to how many members selected it as one of their primary research focuses (each member could select more than one focus). For scale, 48 members selected cancer, 31 selected Neurological, 13 selected Child health and 5 selected Ageing. General health includes charities who selected all or most of the primary areas. “Other” includes Stroke, Congenital disorders, Injuries & accidents, End of life care, and Ear.
• Map: apportioned value of awards active in 2021 by UK region. 0.3% were unknown.

Partnering to maximise investment and impact

1. 1 in 7: Proportion of AMRC grants active in 2021 were co-funded with other organisation(s). Unknowns are excluded. Co-funding organisations were categorised by type and the top 5 most common types are displayed with the relative percentage of co-funded awards. Public bodies include UKRI, NIHR and other UK and non-UK governmental and public bodies. Private sector includes private companies and industry. Organisation types with lower percentages that are not shown include universities, NHS/hospitals, networks, institutes, societies, and other. Grants co-funded with organisations in multiple sectors (13%) were not included in the percentages shown.
2. 63%: percentage of AMRC members who co-funded at least 1 grant active in 2021.
3. 91%: percentage of AMRC members who indicated in our annual member survey that they involve patients (or people with lived experience) in any of the following ways: to develop their organisation’s research strategy; to define research priorities and questions; in funding applications and project design; in peer review of funding applications; on their research advisory committee; in their research evaluation and impact work; in dissemination of research findings; in their influencing work.

Making a difference for patients

1. 271,000: Number of patients recruited in the UK to take part in clinical research studies or trials funded by AMRC member charities between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022. Data provided by the  NIHR Clinical Research Network Open Data Platform. Annual data cut 9 May 2022.
2. 30%: Percentage of non-commercial research studies supported by the NIHR Clinical Research Network that were funded by AMRC member charities between April 2021 and March 2022. Data provided by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Open Data Platform. Annual data cut 9 May 2022.
3. 51%: Percentage of AMRC members who indicated in our annual member survey that they fund research posts in the NHS, including but not limited to clinicians, nurses and clinical trials support staff.
4. Top specialties: Breakdown of total number of participants in UK recruited into AMRC member funded studies by specialty (figures rounded down to nearest 100). Data provided by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Open Data Platform. Annual data cut 9 May 2022.