At the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, Government announced that DECC will invest £250m in an ambitious nuclear research and development programme, enabling the UK to be a global leader in innovative nuclear technologies. This includes a competition to identify the best value SMR design for the UK.

In March 2016, the Government launched the first phase of the competition. The objective of Phase One is to gauge market interest among technology developers, utilities, potential investors and funders in developing, commercializing and financing SMRs in the UK. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/small-modular-reactors-competition-phase-one