The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is the UK government department responsible for science and research funding, technology and innovation policy, digital infrastructure such as broadband and mobile coverage, online safety, data policy and artificial intelligence. It was created in February 2023, combining the science and innovation functions of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with the digital policy teams of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Below we set out what DSIT actually does, the bodies it funds and oversees, its main policy areas, how it affects ordinary households, and the practical routes businesses and researchers can use to engage with it.
DSIT at a Glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Full name | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology |
| Created | February 2023 |
| Formed from | Parts of BEIS (science, research, innovation) and DCMS (digital, telecoms, data) |
| Led by | The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, supported by junior ministers |
| Main funding body | UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) |
| Key areas | R&D funding, AI, digital infrastructure, online safety, data, cyber security, space, quantum, semiconductors |
| Official information | The department’s pages on GOV.UK |
Ministers change with reshuffles and elections. Michelle Donelan was the first Secretary of State, followed by Peter Kyle after the 2024 general election and then Liz Kendall in the September 2025 reshuffle. Check GOV.UK for the current ministerial team, as junior ministerial portfolios also shift.
Why DSIT Was Created
Before 2023, responsibility for science sat within a large business and energy department, while digital and telecoms policy sat with culture and media. The government argued that combining them into a single department would give science and technology a stronger voice in Whitehall and make it easier to join up research funding, commercialisation and regulation of new technologies.
The change was part of a wider reorganisation that also created separate departments for business and trade and for energy security and net zero. In practice, it means one department now covers the full journey from funding early-stage research, through helping companies turn it into products, to setting the rules for how those technologies are used.
Key Milestones Since 2023
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| February 2023 | DSIT is created in a reorganisation of Whitehall departments |
| March 2023 | The UK Science and Technology Framework sets out priorities, including five critical technologies |
| October 2023 | The Online Safety Act becomes law |
| November 2023 | The UK hosts the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park |
| January 2024 | UK association to Horizon Europe takes effect |
| January 2025 | The AI Opportunities Action Plan is published |
| 2025 | The Data (Use and Access) Act receives Royal Assent |
Key Responsibilities
Research and development funding
DSIT sets the overall public R&D budget and passes most of it to UK Research and Innovation, which distributes grants through its research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. The department also funds national laboratories and supports the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), which backs high-risk, high-reward research with more freedom than traditional grant schemes.
Artificial intelligence
AI policy is one of DSIT’s most visible areas. The UK hosted the first global AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November 2023, and the department houses the AI Security Institute (originally the AI Safety Institute), which studies the risks of advanced AI models. In January 2025 the government published its AI Opportunities Action Plan, covering compute capacity, data, skills and adoption of AI in public services. Access to computing power, which depends on advanced chips like those covered in our look at the NVIDIA 5000 series, is a recurring theme in this policy area.
Digital infrastructure
DSIT oversees the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband and better mobile coverage. Building Digital UK, an executive agency of the department, runs Project Gigabit, which subsidises connections in areas commercial providers would not reach on their own, and the department also oversees the Shared Rural Network programme to improve 4G coverage.
Online safety and data
The department is responsible for the Online Safety Act 2023, which places duties on online platforms to tackle illegal content and protect children, with Ofcom as the regulator. DSIT also leads on data protection policy, including the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, while the Information Commissioner’s Office regulates data protection day to day.
Cyber security
DSIT leads on cyber security policy for the wider economy, including guidance and standards for businesses and the security of connected consumer devices, working with the National Cyber Security Centre.
Digital government
The Government Digital Service moved into DSIT, bringing responsibility for GOV.UK, digital identity and modernising public sector technology under the same roof as wider digital policy.
Who Does What: DSIT, Regulators and Delivery Bodies
A common source of confusion is the difference between setting policy and enforcing it. DSIT writes policy and legislation, but day-to-day enforcement usually sits with independent regulators, and much of the spending is delivered through arm’s-length bodies.
| Area | DSIT’s role | Who delivers or enforces |
|---|---|---|
| Online safety | Sets policy and legislation | Ofcom |
| Data protection | Leads data policy and law | Information Commissioner’s Office |
| Research grants | Sets budget and priorities | UKRI and its councils |
| Business innovation funding | Sets priorities | Innovate UK |
| Broadband rollout | Sets targets and funding | Building Digital UK with commercial providers |
| R&D tax relief | Influences innovation policy | HMRC |
Critical Technologies
The UK Science and Technology Framework, published shortly after DSIT was created, identified five critical technologies where the UK aims to build strength:
| Technology | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Artificial intelligence | Productivity gains, public services, research acceleration |
| Engineering biology | Medicines, sustainable materials, food production |
| Future telecommunications | Secure, resilient networks beyond 5G |
| Semiconductors | Chips underpin almost every modern device; the UK focuses on design and compound semiconductors |
| Quantum technologies | Computing, sensing and secure communications |
Bodies DSIT Works With and Oversees
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): the main public funder of research and innovation.
- Innovate UK: part of UKRI, funding business-led innovation.
- Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA): funds ambitious, long-term research programmes.
- Building Digital UK: delivers broadband rollout programmes.
- UK Space Agency: supports the UK space sector.
- National Physical Laboratory: the UK’s national measurement institute.
- Ofcom and the ICO: independent regulators whose remits include areas DSIT sets policy for.
The full list of agencies and public bodies is published on GOV.UK and changes from time to time.
International Engagement
DSIT represents the UK in international science and technology partnerships. A notable example is the UK’s association to Horizon Europe, the EU’s main research programme, which took effect from January 2024 and lets UK researchers and businesses bid for its grants on equal terms. The department also leads UK work on international AI governance and science partnerships with countries around the world.
How Businesses Can Engage with DSIT
- Apply for innovation funding: Innovate UK runs competitions for grants and loans, listed on its funding service. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships link businesses with universities.
- Claim R&D tax relief: run by HMRC rather than DSIT, but a major part of the UK’s support for innovation. Take advice from an accountant before claiming, as the rules have tightened.
- Respond to consultations: DSIT consults on proposals such as online safety codes and AI regulation, and responses are open to anyone.
- Check broadband support: businesses in poorly served areas may benefit from Project Gigabit contracts or voucher schemes where available.
- Follow cyber guidance: schemes such as Cyber Essentials help firms protect themselves and are required for some government contracts.
Tips for a stronger funding application
- Read the competition scope closely; many applications fail because the project does not fit the brief.
- Explain the commercial route to market, not only the technology.
- Show who will do the work and why your team can deliver it.
- Start early, as collaborative bids need time to agree partners and budgets.
Impact on the Economy and Investors
DSIT’s decisions shape funding for universities, start-ups and scale-ups, and the regulatory environment for tech companies. Investors often follow government priorities such as AI, quantum and life sciences, and some choose broad tech funds to gain exposure, as discussed in our guide to the L&G Global Technology Index. Public R&D investment is intended to crowd in private investment, although economists debate how quickly returns show up in productivity figures. Government priorities are not investment advice, so speak to a regulated financial adviser before investing.
Challenges Facing the Department
- Budget pressure: competing demands on public spending make long-term R&D commitments hard to protect.
- Skills shortages: demand for AI, data and engineering skills exceeds supply.
- Regulating fast-moving technology: balancing innovation with safety in areas like AI and online platforms.
- Scaling companies: helping UK start-ups grow into large firms without relocating abroad.
- Regional balance: spreading research investment beyond the traditional hubs of London, Oxford and Cambridge.
How DSIT Affects Everyday Life
Although it is less well known than departments such as health or education, DSIT’s work touches daily life in practical ways. The speed and reliability of your home broadband may depend on a Project Gigabit contract. The age checks and reporting tools you see on social media platforms are shaped by the Online Safety Act. Rules on how organisations use your personal data, the security standards required for smart devices such as doorbells and speakers, and the move to put more government services online through GOV.UK all fall within its remit. Research that DSIT funds through UKRI also feeds into new medicines, cleaner energy and technologies that may reach consumers years later.
Working at DSIT
DSIT recruits civil servants through the Civil Service Jobs website, with roles in policy, analysis, digital and data, and programme delivery. The department has offices in London and other UK locations, and many roles offer hybrid working in line with civil service policy.
Bottom Line on the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
DSIT is the UK’s single home for science funding, tech policy, digital infrastructure, online safety and AI. If you are a business, the most useful routes in are Innovate UK competitions, open consultations and cyber security schemes; if you are a household, its influence shows up in your broadband, online safety protections and data rights. Use GOV.UK for current ministers, bodies and funding calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology do?
DSIT sets UK policy and funding for science, research, technology and digital infrastructure, including AI, broadband, online safety, data and cyber security.
When was DSIT created?
DSIT was created in February 2023 from parts of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Is UKRI part of DSIT?
UKRI is a non-departmental public body funded and sponsored by DSIT. It distributes most public research and innovation funding through its councils and Innovate UK.
Who regulates online safety in the UK?
DSIT is responsible for the Online Safety Act, and Ofcom is the independent regulator that enforces it.
How can a business get funding linked to DSIT?
Most business innovation funding is offered through Innovate UK competitions, while R&D tax relief is claimed through HMRC.
Who is the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology?
Liz Kendall took the role in the September 2025 reshuffle, succeeding Peter Kyle. Ministerial posts change, so check GOV.UK for the current team.
