The political decision to leave the European Union has had the unintended consequence that the UK may not be able to access funding from Horizon Europe, the EU’s highly regarded principal funding programme for research and innovation, and the involvement of UK-based researchers in European research consortia has already been damaged by this.

Oxford and Cambridge universities, once given more than £130m a year in total by European research programmes, are now getting £1m annually between them.

The UK’s scientists have missed out on £1.5 billion in Horizon 2020 funds since the country voted to leave the EU in 2016. Campaigners say that the figures reveal the extent to which Brexit uncertainty damaged collaborations between UK researchers and their colleagues across Europe.

This week is five years since the vote to leave the European Union. New analysis from Scientists for EU shows that since then UK grants on the Horizon programme have steadily plummeted.

Dr Mike Galsworthy said: "Brexit uncertainty over five years has knocked the UK’s position down several rungs and blown a huge hole in our funds and networks."

Researchers in the UK were overwhelmingly opposed to Brexit. Now, new estimates of lost funding show these concerns were justified, says the Scientists for EU campaign.

Confidence is at rock-bottom in the UK's ability to attract and retain the best scientific and engineering talent from Europe.

In the words of another current cliché, UK science is already ‘world-beating’. But researchers are concerned that ministers’ plans may put that status in jeopardy as MARTIN MCQUILLAN reports.

Nobel scientists warn Britain will lose ‘superpower’ status if access barred to €100bn EU fund

Prime minister expected to press EU leaders to dedicate attention to faltering negotiations.

Education and business leaders point to lost income for country and opportunities for students

One consequence of Brexit closed a financing source to UK start-ups on 1 Feb. – but access could re-open if a UK and EU trade deal includes Horizon Europe participation.

The first figures have emerged demonstrating that Brexit uncertainty has adversely affected UK research.

Nobel prize winner leaves as reality of disconnecting from EU funding network sets in. / A no-deal Brexit looks set to undermine the UK’s position as a world leader in international research and is already starting to cause damage according to a number of prominent scientists working in Britain.

As the possibility of a no-deal Brexit scenario increases, and the government publishes its “no-deal preparedness” notices, it is worth taking stock of the sheer variety of problems that would arise with a no-deal Brexit – and the devastating consequences that would arise from such a legal limbo. Here’s what we know so far.

Among other devastating repercussions, crashing out will cause a hostile climate between the UK and EU, which would strongly serve to repel European and global scientists from our shores.

1,500 students could also lose opportunity to study abroad.

Vice-chancellors, fearing a loss of research money and students post Brexit, are on an EU charm offensive.