Jodrell Bank Faces 2028 Closure as STFC Pulls Funding to Meet £162m Savings
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 28
Jodrell Bank Faces 2028 Closure as STFC Pulls Funding to Meet £162m Savings
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 28
Summary
March 2028 is the cutoff for STFC funding to Jodrell Bank and the seven-telescope e-Merlin network, meaning observations would stop unless replacement support is found.
£162 million in savings by 2030 is driving the move, after STFC said electricity, staffing and foreign-exchange costs pushed up bills for major facilities and international collaborations.
£684 million in forecast overruns across the current four-year spending review suggest the pressure is broader, with cuts also hitting Rubin and La Palma participation, Bison, Boulby mine and the Clara accelerator facility.
80% of LHCb data could go uncollected if funding ends early, while a recent survey found nearly 80% of early-career physicists were considering leaving the UK, underscoring the wider risk to British science.
If Jodrell Bank loses funding in 2028, what happens to the thousands of scientists and international projects that depend on it?
Why would Britain risk closing Jodrell Bank for £2.8m a year just as the SKA era begins?
The 2028 Jodrell Bank Crisis: UKRI Cuts, Blue-Sky Science Under Threat, and the Future of UK Astronomy
Overview
Jodrell Bank Observatory faces closure in 2028 after UKRI withdrew its annual funding, a move driven by deep budget cuts and a shift in policy toward applied research. This decision stems from a major financial crisis at the STFC, caused by high costs and over-committed projects, leading to severe reductions in support for curiosity-driven science. As a result, the UK risks losing its independent radio astronomy capability, damaging international collaborations, and triggering a talent drain among young researchers. The local economy and STEM education are also threatened, while the observatory’s leadership urgently seeks private and philanthropic funding to secure its future.