UK research and evidence market hits record £18.7 billion valuation
09 March 2026

A new independent report The Business of Evidence 2026 demonstrates the major contribution of research to Britain’s intelligence capital and UK PLC. The professional research and evidence (R&E) market generates £18.74bn of gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy each year, making it larger than the entire publishing sector and over twice the economic value of the UK’s music industry*.

That’s according to a new independent sector review by PA Consulting, the global innovation and transformation consultancy, commissioned by MRS, the world’s leading research association, to mark its 80th anniversary year. The Business of Evidence 2026 report found that the market now accounts for between 0.7% and 0.8% of UK GVA and employs around 350,000 people on a full-time basis, underscoring its contribution to the success of the UK professional services and creative sectors.

Business of Evidence 2026

A new market sizing report

Click to download the report

The research and evidence market is also a significant export success story, with almost two-thirds (64%) of UK-based businesses conducting projects for clients in other countries. This figure has doubled since 2012. Primary export markets include North America and Europe, helping to consolidate the UK’s place as the second-largest supplier of research services globally.

The report also highlights the leading role played by the UK evidence sector in navigating businesses through recent economic, technological and political change.

Four in five (81%) research buyers believe that insights lead to more confident decision-making within their organisations, with nine in ten (87%) agreeing that research findings serve as an important strategic input driving key business and policy decisions.

 Other findings from the report include:

• Traditional research organisations and insights teams within private vertical sector companies, such as retail, media, technology and financial services contribute a combined £15.10bn of the wider £18.74bn GVA to the UK economy. They account for over 280,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs
• Around 70,000 additional research jobs are in other sectors, such as in artificial intelligence (5,590) and data analytics (7,500) companies, or in central government (20,530)
• Researchers see the main drivers of the UK’s world-leading position as: the UK’s long-running track record in research (60%), its strength of talent (55%), and its ability to deliver strategic insights rather than just standalone data (55%)
• Taking into account the indirect impact of market research – the economic activity generated in the supply chain, such as data platforms, survey tech and cloud infrastructure – the sector’s GVA rises to over £24.5bn.

Jane Frost, CEO of MRS, commented: “This review confirms what we have known for some time – that quality research and insight make a massive contribution to UK PLC. Not only does our sector add nearly £19bn GVA to the UK economy each year, but every day we help organisations of all kinds make better decisions that drive economic growth.

“The incredible progress over the past decade also demonstrates the growing appreciation of the role that research and evidence play in guiding better decision making. We are witnessing a time of huge geopolitical, economic and cultural upheaval, and as a sector our insights will only become more valuable as organisations across the globe seek to understand what is happening and navigate these shifts.”

Gemma Proctor, Head of Human Insights, PA Consulting added: “Amid constant complexity and disruption, the research and evidence market has been the steady hand guiding both the public and private sectors. Four in five research buyers now rely on our sector's insights to make more confident, strategic decisions.

“At a major inflection point for the market, we can move forward with confidence. Blending technical mastery and AI with human-centric curiosity; investing in the diverse talent of tomorrow; and maintaining the UK's position as a global centre for evidence-based decision-making.”

 *UK Music, ‘This is Music 2025’ report: https://www.ukmusic.org/research-reports/this-is-music-2025/ 

Publishers Association, ‘Vision for Publishing’ report: https://www.publishers.org.uk/publications/vision-for-publishing/

Business of Evidence 2026

A new market sizing report

Click to download the report