Key facts
What is BERD?
Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD)
BERD statistics show:
– what businesses spend on research and development (R&D)
– how this activity is funded
– the number of people working on this activity
Five criteria used to define R&D activity
It must be novel and aimed at new findings
It needs to be based on original concepts and creative
The final outcome needs to be uncertain
It has to be systematic i.e. planned and budgeted
The results must be transferable and/or reproducible
How BERD statistics are produced
Survey distribution
ONS: Electronic questionnaires (a mix of long and short form)
NISRA: Questionnaires (long form) with the option to respond via paper or electronically
Sample size
ONS: Approximately 37,000* businesses
NISRA: 1,500 businesses
Sample selection
ONS: Selected from the Inter- Departmental Business Register (IDBR)
NISRA: Also selected from the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR)
*For collection of 2023 data, ONS has reduce the sample size to approximately 20,000 UK businesses
Why are BERD statistics important?
HM Revenue and Customs uses BERD statistics to analyse the impact of proposed policies.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology uses BERD statistics to inform and support policy advice.
Northern Ireland’s Department for the Economy uses BERD statistics to support policy development.
The Bank of England uses BERD statistics to provide insight into the UK’s innovation and productivity performance.
Academics and research professionals use BERD statistics to understand and communicate the economic impact of research activities, within the in the UK.
Direct uses of BERD statistics
BERD statistics are used as inputs in:
- The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) core R&D statistics database (Main Science and Technology Indicators (MSTI) database) and the Analytical BERD (ANBERD) database, to facilitate international comparisons
- Business Investment (BI) statistics: In 2022, BERD comprised 9% of all capital investment in the UK in 2022 (Source: ONS, Annual gross fixed capital formation by industry and asset, October)