The government has opened a £20 million competition to accelerate new medicines, medical technologies and digital tools for drug and alcohol addiction under the Office for Life Sciences’ Addiction Healthcare Goals programme. Funding will be delivered through Innovate UK, with the press release issued on 16 February 2026 and updated on 19 February confirming the scope and intent. (gov.uk)
The scheme comprises two strands: Advancing innovation in drug and alcohol addiction healthcare (grant funding for collaborative, late‑stage CR&D) and Contracts for Innovation in drug and alcohol addiction healthcare (procurement of R&D services). Both opened on 16 February 2026 and close at 11:00 UK time on 6 May 2026. (ukri.org)
For the Advancing innovation grant strand, projects are expected to achieve Technology Readiness Level 8–9 by completion, secure required regulatory approvals and certification, and deliver a full market‑readiness analysis and rollout plan. Total eligible project costs range from £250,000 to £7 million for MedTech/digital and up to £10 million for pharmaceutical interventions; grant to any single business is capped at £3 million per project. Projects run 24–36 months, starting 1 December 2026 and ending by 30 November 2029. (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
For the Contracts for Innovation strand, awards of up to £1.5 million (inclusive of VAT) will support projects expected to reach TRL 6–7 by the end of the contract, demonstrate user acceptability and UK market fit, and produce a business plan with a clear route to IP, certification and regulatory approval. Projects start on 1 October 2026, run for up to 24 months, and must finish by 30 September 2028. (find-government-grants.service.gov.uk)
This procurement‑based strand is run under the Procurement Act 2023 R&D exemption and is not subject to the subsidy‑control criteria that apply to grants. Contracts are awarded to a single legal entity (which may subcontract), and leads can be UK‑based or international; most work and key deliverables must be completed in the UK. (find-government-grants.service.gov.uk)
Eligibility for the Advancing innovation grant requires collaboration: a UK‑registered business must lead, with partners drawn from businesses, universities, NHS providers, local authorities, charities and RTOs. No partner may account for more than 70% of total eligible costs. (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
Successful applicants will receive an MHRA and NICE education session on evidence standards and pathways to UK certification, approval and reimbursement. Bidders should also budget for regulatory costs (MHRA, NICE or other approval bodies) as eligible project costs, as specified in the competition brief. (gov.uk)
Innovate UK Business Connect frames the awards within wider ministerial priorities, including the 10 Year Health Plan, the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the UK drugs strategy From Harm to Hope, positioning the programme to accelerate real‑world adoption through late‑stage evaluation and deployment. (iuk-business-connect.org.uk)
The policy case is explicit in government material: around 15,000 people die annually across the UK from alcohol and drugs combined, and the societal cost in England is estimated at about £47 billion per year-approximately £20 billion from illegal drug use and £27.44 billion from alcohol harm. (gov.uk)
Ministers have tied the initiative to service impact. Health Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed highlighted the aim to supplement treatment expansion and prevention funding, while Science Minister Lord Vallance pointed to a quicker route from breakthrough ideas to deployment and growth for UK firms. (gov.uk)
For prospective consortia, strand selection should reflect maturity and route‑to‑market. Late‑stage bids need firm regulatory plans, manufacturing and rollout strategies, and real‑world evidence work with NHS or third‑sector providers. Earlier‑stage bids should prioritise feasibility in frontline settings, user acceptability and a credible business plan aligned to UK evaluation and reimbursement.
Applications opened on 16 February 2026 and the online briefing took place on 19 February 2026. Full details and application portals are available via UKRI’s Funding Finder and the Innovation Funding Service. Submissions must be received by 11:00 UK time on 6 May 2026. (ukri.org)