The UK government has announced a new £20 million fund to support technology that helps people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. This money will be given to projects that use new tools like artificial intelligence (AI), wearable devices, and virtual reality to improve treatment, help people recover, and prevent harm caused by addiction.
Every year, around 15,000 people in the UK die due to overuse of drug or alcohol, and many more people and families are affected by addiction and its results. The government says that these new technologies could help reduce deaths, support recovery, and lower the harm caused by addiction.
The funding will be given through a program called the Addiction Healthcare Goals (AHG). It is led by the department of Life Sciences and run by Innovate UK. Innovate UK is an organization that gives money to people and companies to help start new projects.
People and groups across the UK can apply for a share of this £20 million fund. This fund is available for projects that create new medicines, medical devices, digital tools, and mobile apps to help people facing addiction. Up to £10 million will be given to larger projects that are ready to make a real difference, while up to £1.5 million will support early projects that show strong potential and need help to grow.
The government says the fund will support technologies such as smart wearable devices that can monitor health signs, virtual reality tools that help with treatment, and AI tools that can help doctors in treatment. These tools are meant to help people continue their treatment, prevent them from falling back into addiction, and lower the risk of overdose and death.
Secretary of State for Health Innovation Dr Zubir Ahmed said addiction destroys lives and the government wants to find every possible way to help people recover. He also said that using new technology will help the government to make treatment and recovery services easier across the UK.
Science Minister Lord Vallance also talked about the fund. He said helping both big and small projects will make it faster to turn new ideas into real useful tools. He said that these type of programs could save thousands of lives and help many people get the treatment they need.
Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes, Chair of the Addiction Healthcare Goals program, said too many people lose their lives because of drug and alcohol addiction, and new health projects are needed quickly. She added that this fund will help UK companies to improve their services so people get better care faster.
People or companies who want to join the fund must explain that how their technology can help people to recover from addiction and make treatment safer. Those who get funding will also receive guidance from UK health authorities on how to follow rules and use their tools in real-life care.
Applications for the fund opened in mid-February 2026 and will close on 6 May 2026, giving companies and innovators time to prepare their proposals. There will also be an online briefing event on 19 February to help applicants learn more about eligibility criteria and the process.
This fund is part of the UK government’s wider plan to find new ways to control the serious challenges of drug and alcohol addiction. By bringing technology and health care together, the goal is to improve recovery outcomes, reduce harm, and save lives across the country.