The Horizon Europe Guarantee made sure that UK researchers and innovators who were awarded Horizon Europe funding received it, while the UK negotiated its association to the programme.
The UK associated to Horizon Europe on 1 January 2024. Association covers new UK applications from Work Programme 2024 onwards, while the Guarantee continues to fund and support successful UK applicants to the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Work Programmes for the full lifetime of their projects.
The Guarantee funded over 4,300 grants worth £2.2 billion, reaching over 800 organisations across the UK. The funding kept UK researchers, universities and businesses in the world’s largest research and innovation programme, working with partners across Europe and beyond.
How the Guarantee worked
During the delay to association, UK applicants could still apply for Horizon Europe funding. However, if they were successful, they could not receive funding from the European Commission. In November 2021, the government introduced the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme, through which successful UK applicants would instead receive this funding through UKRI, allowing projects to proceed as planned.
All Guarantee projects were assessed and selected by the European Commission within the same Horizon Europe calls as all other applicants. The Guarantee changed the source of funding, but each grant was awarded through the same rigorous process as every other Horizon Europe project, with no further scientific assessment carried out by UKRI.
Since association to Horizon Europe in 2024, UK applicants have received funding directly from the European Commission. Every grant funded through the Guarantee will continue to be funded and supported by UKRI for its full duration.
Why the Guarantee was needed
Horizon Europe is the world’s largest research and innovation programme. Under the previous EU framework programme, Horizon 2020, UK researchers and innovators received more than €7.5 billion in funding.
The Guarantee provided certainty for successful UK applicants, protected international partnerships, and enabled continued access to major collaborative projects. The Guarantee has enabled thousands of projects to continue as planned, forming a substantial and continuing part of the UK’s presence in European and global research networks. These projects are evidence of an unbroken record of UK-Europe partnership on research and innovation.
What the Guarantee protected
Research talent
ERC grants are awarded to individual researchers, but their projects support wider research teams, create research opportunities, and contribute to the UK’s wider research capability. Without the Guarantee, many UK-based winners would have had to move to an eligible country to take up their award or give it up. The Guarantee meant they could stay and carry out their research in the UK, helping to retain both the grant holders and the teams built around their projects.
International collaboration
Most Horizon Europe awards go to collaborative projects. The Guarantee meant UK universities, businesses and other organisations could keep their place in international consortia and continue to work with partners across Europe and the world.
UK research and innovation excellence
The Guarantee maintained access for UK researchers and innovators to world-leading research and innovation projects supporting the UK’s position as a leading destination for research, innovation, and investment.
Without the Guarantee
Without the Guarantee, many successful research and innovation projects would have faced uncertainty, disruption, or potential withdrawal, putting projects, jobs and partnerships at risk. The Guarantee helped maintain confidence in the UK research and innovation system during a period of uncertainty and helped ensure continuity for participants across the country.