In a post published on UKRI’s website, Ian Chapman acknowledged there is “anxiety” in the research and innovation community around changes the funding agency is enacting and said he was “very sorry” and intended to reassure researchers.

The post followed an earlier open letter from Chapman, on 1^st February, which warned that the agency is having to make “hard decisions” about funding.

Researchers have expressed concern over UKRI’s reorganisation of how it will distribute its budgets, after it set out spending plans in December.

In this week’s post, Chapman said: “I recognise we have been running at pace and we need to engage with you more concertedly.”

“Having heard from many of you over the last couple of weeks, I think it’s right we take more time to engage. To that end, we commit to consulting widely over the next few months about precisely how we implement these new programmes. I also commit that in the future, UKRI will be much clearer about the pipeline of opportunities coming.”

Chapman said UKRI’s approach to applicant-led research – formerly known as ‘responsive mode’ grants’ – is not changing. He added: “Curiosity-driven research is protected overall, both in scale and in scope.”

UKRI has “temporarily paused” funding opportunities in some specific areas within the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Medical Research Council and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, according to the post.

Other changes include possible cost-cutting measures in the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s portfolio. UKRI has “identified the scale of cost reductions” it needs to target, said Chapman, adding that the agency is currently soliciting input on the implications of potential cost reductions “before any decisions are taken later in the year”.

In future, UKRI will share a quarterly planner outlining expected funding opportunities, Chapman said.