THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE

Active
Company number 00559784Private company limited by guaranteeIncorporated 1956

Key figures

£322,442,000
Net assets 2025/26

† THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE filed these accounts on paper, so Companies House publishes them only as a scanned image. The figures for the years marked † were read automatically from the scan and kept only where the statements add up (for example net assets equal total equity), but a reading error is still possible — check the original accounts at Companies House.

Like most small UK companies, THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE does not publish a profit and loss account in its latest accounts. The figures below come from the balance sheet.

Ratios

2025/26

Sector comparison

SIC 72190

Where the company stands among the 5,632 active companies whose first SIC code is 72190 (Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering).

Net assets£322,442,000
Higher than 99% · median £10,692
Total assets£348,528,000
Higher than 99% · median £64,502
Cash£24,657,000
Higher than 99% · median £53,235
Company age70.8 years
Older than 99% · median 7.5 years
Largest in this sector by net assets
  1. CAMBRIDGE ANTIBODY TECHNOLOGY GROUP LIMITED£3.5bn
  2. ELLISON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, OXFORD LIMITED£1.4bn
  3. GLAXOSMITHKLINE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT LIMITED£1.4bn
  4. THE BINDING SITE GROUP LIMITED£1.2bn
  5. WAYVE TECHNOLOGIES LTD£895.2m
  6. OXFORD NANOPORE TECHNOLOGIES PLC£463.3m
  7. DIAMOND LIGHT SOURCE LIMITED£343.7m
  8. THE KENNEDY TRUST FOR RHEUMATOLOGY RESEARCH£333.4m
  9. KYOWA KIRIN SERVICES LTD£322.7m
  10. THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE£322.4m

Positions are approximate. Figures come from each company's latest accounts; money and employee figures are compared only with companies that filed accounts in pounds for a period ending in the last two and a half years and are not dormant, so those groups are smaller than 5,632. The line on each bar marks the median.

Summary: THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE

What kind of company is it?

THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE is a private company limited by guarantee registered with Companies House under company number 00559784. It was incorporated on 7 Jan 1956. Its status is active. The registered office is in Woking (GU24). Its nature of business (SIC 2007) is other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering (72190).

How is the company doing financially?

The latest accounts in the database are for 2025/26 (period ending 31 Mar 2026); the company files full accounts. Net assets were £322,442,000. Cash at bank and in hand was £24,657,000. Total assets were £348,528,000 and total liabilities £26,086,000.

How does it compare with similar companies?

Compared with 5,632 active companies whose first SIC code is 72190: By net assets it ranks higher than 99% of them (median £10,692). By total assets it ranks higher than 99% of them (median £64,502). By cash it ranks higher than 99% of them (median £53,235). It is older than 99% of them (median age 7.5 years).

Does it supply the public sector?

The company is named as a supplier in 20 public contract award notices from 6 public sector buyers since 2015. Contracts awarded to it alone have a combined published value of £21.2m. Its most frequent buyer is Defra Network eTendering Portal (11 contracts). It is recorded as the recipient of 195 central government grants worth £46.4m, mainly from Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

What do public registers and reports show?

It is a registered charity (number 228824) with a latest reported income of £58m. It appears on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors (Charity Worker, Government Authorised Exchange, Skilled Worker). HMRC lists it as an importer of goods, mainly miscellaneous chemicals, pharmaceuticals, optical, medical and measuring instruments. HMRC lists it as an exporter of goods, mainly pharmaceuticals, miscellaneous chemicals, organic chemicals. In its latest payment practices report it took an average of 22 days to pay suppliers, and 19% of invoices were not paid within agreed terms. Its gender pay gap report for 2025/26 shows median hourly pay for women 7% lower than for men. It has modern slavery statements on the government registry for 4 years.

When are its next filings due?

The next accounts are due by 31 Dec 2027. The next confirmation statement is due by 8 Oct 2027.

Filed accounts2025/26
2025/26 †
Cash at bank and in hand24,657,000
Total assets348,528,000
Total liabilities26,086,000
Net assets / total equity322,442,000

A dash (—) means no accounts were filed for that year or the item is not in the accounts; 0 is a zero stated in the accounts. Small companies usually file only a balance sheet, so the profit and loss account is often missing.

Public contracts

20 contracts

THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE is named as a supplier in 20 public contract award notices from 6 public sector buyers since 2015. Their combined published value is £21.2m.

Contracts per year
Main buyers6
Defra Network eTendering Portal
11 contracts · £13.2m
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS
3 contracts · £3.7m
Ministry of Defence
2 contracts · £4m
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
2 contracts · £49k
Public Health England
1 contract · £214.1k
Contracts
  1. Poultry Health Training Course‡ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY · £21,000 · 2 lots
  2. Poultry TrainingANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY · £28,000 · 2 lots
  3. Poultry Training‡Defra Commercial · £14,000
  4. Research and Development FrameworkMinistry of Defence · £2,000,000 · runs until Apr 2027
  5. Pirbright Innovations Framework‡Ministry of Defence · £2,000,000
Show 15 more
  1. Research and Development Utilising Specialist Laboratory Containment Facilities‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £4,500,000
  2. ASFVInt: Decoding a Virus Achilles Heel‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £495,901
  3. Project_29701 - Improved tools for the diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £2,602,775
  4. ASFV - Research study on "Vaccines, diagnosis and epidemiology‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £900,000
  5. Disinfectant Efficacy Testing - Method UpdateDefra Network eTendering Portal · £64,850
  6. Disinfectant Efficacy Testing‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £48,680
  7. Advanced genetic analysis, molecular and serological diagnostics of bluetongue‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £1,097,414
  8. Provision of staff to support COVID-19 activity in PHE regional labs (ecm_8127)‡Public Health England · £214,076
  9. Understanding environmental and airborne transmission to reduce FMD‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £1,497,751
  10. Understanding parameters determining transmission of economically important arboviruses in the United Kingdom‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £466,715
  11. Use of FMDV sequence data to trace outbreaks etc.‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £1,326,558
  12. Disinfectant Efficacy Testing‡Defra Network eTendering Portal · £237,360
  13. USING SEQUENCE DATA TO TRACE THE ORIGINS OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE OUTBREAKS‡DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS · £1,288,060
  14. Co-ordinated capacity building for UK response to emerging arthropod-borne viruses‡DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS · £479,079
  15. Development and evaluation of improved diagnostic tests for vesicular viral diseases of livestock‡DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS · £1,885,625

From contract award notices on Contracts Finder (since 2016) and Find a Tender (since 2021), published by the Cabinet Office under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Values are as published by the buyer and usually cover the whole contract term; the total leaves out awards shared between several suppliers, where the published figure is a ceiling for all of them, placeholder values and single figures of £1 billion or more. Notices marked ‡ do not state a company number and were linked by an exact match on the registered name. Contracts below the publication thresholds and those of devolved buyers that publish elsewhere are not included.

Government grants

195 grants

THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE is recorded as the recipient of 195 central government grants since 2016, together worth £46.4m.

Funders
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
61 grants · £25.2m
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
129 grants · £17.9m
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
4 grants · £3.3m
Department for Education
1 grant · £1,000
Latest 50 grants
  1. Understanding and controlling lumpy skin disease in Indian cattleDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £204,818 · UKRI - ISPF - Scheme
  2. Open Access Block Award 2024 - The Pirbright InstituteDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £40,450 · UKRI - Open Access Block Grant - Scheme
  3. 301328-402 The Pirbright Institute "(CVIM) Accelerating development of novel vaccines via support to the UK Centre for Veterinary Vaccine Innovation & Manufacturing"Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · £1,320,565 · Animal and Plant Health Innovation and Evidence Delivery (APHID) Platform
  4. Bovine herpesvirus 4 as a vaccine platform for African swine fever virus antigens in pigsDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £99,125 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  5. International Institutional Awards Tranche 2 PirbrightDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £26,785 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
Show 45 more
  1. Understanding differences in host responses to African swine fever virusDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £134,851 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  2. NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR AFRICAN SWINE FEVER VACCINESDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £21,436 · UKRI - HEG - Scheme
  3. International Institutional Awards Tranche 1 PirbrightDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £218,901 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  4. FLU-Trailmap: Transmission and risk of avian influenza: learning more to advance preparednessDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £153,285 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  5. FLU-Trailmap: Transmission and risk of avian influenza: learning more to advance preparednessDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £381,875 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  6. In-field detection of economically important viral veterinary pathogens.Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · £44,193 · UKRI - Innovate UK - Scheme
  7. A bivalent vaccine to reduce the risk of Nipah virus outbreaksDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £435,288 · UKRI - Innovate UK - Scheme
  8. Pathogenesis, immunity, and control of coronaviruses in a large natural host animal, the pigDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £150,942 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  9. Pathogenesis, immunity, and control of coronaviruses in a large natural host animal, the pigDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £249,695 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  10. Exploring transcription of a large DNA virus of importance for global food securityDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £47,597 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  11. Exploring transcription of a large DNA virus of importance for global food securityDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £96,374 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  12. Open Access Block Award 2023 - The Pirbright InstituteDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £42,095 · UKRI - Open Access Block Grant - Scheme
  13. Characterising viral regulation of biocondensates dynamics and functionDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £3,928 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  14. Characterising viral regulation of biocondensates dynamics and functionDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £7,954 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  15. 300728-117 (CVIM) Accelerating development of novel vaccines through support toForeign, Commonwealth & Development Office · £1,043,233 · Tackling global plant and animal health risks which threaten global food systems and health - in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
  16. Host Responses to Viral Infection: Differential outcomes of viral infectionsDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £989,964 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  17. BBSRC National Bioscience Research Infrastructure: Low Containment Services and Science PlatformsDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £3,157,078 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  18. Host Responses to Viral Infection: A fundamental understanding of immune responseDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £2,152,985 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  19. Host Responses to Viral Infection: Enhancing protective response in vertebrate hostsDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £681,065 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  20. BBSRC National Bioscience Research Infrastructure: High Containment Services and Science PlatformsDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £7,729,397 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  21. Virus Life Cycles at Multiple Scales: Virus-host interactions controlling species-specific outcomesDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £1,435,645 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  22. Virus Life Cycles at Multiple Scales: Biology of virus-infected cellsDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £2,158,558 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  23. 22-ICRAD Call 2 Emerging porcine influenza and coronaviruses (EPICVIR)Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · £80,886 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  24. 22-ICRAD Call 2 Emerging porcine influenza and coronaviruses (EPICVIR)Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · £162,428 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  25. Effects of co-infections on Marek's disease in poultry and development of novel recombinant Marek's disease virus vector vaccinesDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £75,549 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  26. Effects of co-infections on Marek's disease in poultry and development of novel recombinant Marek's disease virus vector vaccinesDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £151,709 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  27. Antiviral restriction factors: Understanding determinants of host range and barriers to species-jumping in livestock viral diseaseDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £107,823 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  28. Antiviral restriction factors: Understanding determinants of host range and barriers to species-jumping in livestock viral diseaseDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £144,636 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  29. [Monkey Pox] Rapid Research ResponseDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £261,013 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  30. REPRODIVAC Next-generation vaccines and diagnostics to prevent livestock reproductive diseases of worldwide impactDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £144,898 · UKRI - HEG - Scheme
  31. REPRODIVAC Next-generation vaccines and diagnostics to prevent livestock reproductive diseases of worldwide impactDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £131,973 · UKRI - HEG - Scheme
  32. Development of an in vitro system that mimics B and T helper cell responses in porcine lymph nodesDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £219,640 · UKRI - NC3Rs - Scheme
  33. Development of an in vitro system that mimics B and T helper cell responses in porcine lymph nodesDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £110,486 · UKRI - NC3Rs - Scheme
  34. 21-EEID US-UK Collab: Multi-scale infection dynamics from cells to landscapes: foot-and-mouth disease viruses in African buffaloDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £247,187 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  35. 21-EEID US-UK Collab: Multi-scale infection dynamics from cells to landscapes: foot-and-mouth disease viruses in African buffaloDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £259,665 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  36. Understanding animal health threats from emerging H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza virusesDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · £82,569 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme
  37. Taiwan Partnering Award: Investigation of proteins involved in African swine fever virus entry for vaccine developmentDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £4,827 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  38. Investigating the role of ANP32A in the replication of avian Influenza virusDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £8,735 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  39. Components of the Medea gene drive system in a mosquito Aedes aegyptiDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £11,238 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  40. Pirbright Institute Flexible Talent Mobility AccountDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £18,446 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  41. BBSRC IAA The Pirbright InstituteDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £24,268 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  42. Vector-borne transmission of lumpy skin disease virus IIDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £30,190 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  43. Human rhinovirus VP4: membrane pore-forming capsid protein and conserved target for broadly neutralising antibodiesDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £48,542 · UKRI - MRC - Scheme 22/23
  44. Dissecting the molecular pathways of MDV oncoprotein Meq for understanding pathogenesis and aid vaccine developmentDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £37,397 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23
  45. African swine fever outbreak containment strategy using small-molecule antiviral drugsDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy · £40,483 · UKRI - BBSRC - Scheme 22/23

From the Government Grants Register published by the Cabinet Office (financial years 2016/17 onwards, Open Government Licence v3.0). It covers grants from central government departments and their agencies where the register states the recipient's company number and the recipient name matches this company; grants from local authorities, lottery distributors and devolved governments are not included.

Statutory reporting

Payment practices1 Apr 2019 – 30 Sep 2019
Average time taken to pay invoices
22 days
Invoices not paid within agreed terms
19%
Standard payment terms
0–45 days
Member of a payment code
No
  • Within 30 days 86%
  • 31 to 60 days 14%
  • After 60 days 0%
Earlier periods (1)
Period ending
Days to pay
Within 30 days
Late
31 Mar 2019
31
41%
35%

View the latest report on GOV.UK

Gender pay gap2025/26
Median hourly pay
women 7% lower
Mean hourly pay
women 11.7% lower
Employer size
250 to 499 employees
Lower pay quarter54% womenLower middle59% womenUpper middle48% womenUpper pay quarter35% women
Earlier years (8)
Year
Median hourly pay
Mean hourly pay
2024/25
women 7.6% lower
women 11.6% lower
2023/24
women 11% lower
women 13% lower
2022/23
women 6% lower
women 10% lower
2021/22
women 5.8% lower
women 10.6% lower
2020/21
women 6.9% lower
women 16.6% lower
2019/20
women 8.1% lower
women 14.2% lower
2018/19
women 16.1% lower
women 16.5% lower
2017/18
women 15.1% lower
women 14.7% lower

A positive gap means women's average hourly pay is lower than men's across the whole employer; it is not a comparison of pay for the same work. View on the Gender pay gap service

Modern slavery statements4
2026
Statement · summary on GOV.UK
2025
Statement · summary on GOV.UK
2024
Statement · summary on GOV.UK
Earlier years (1)
2023
Statement · summary on GOV.UK

Figures the company reported itself to the government's Check payment practices service, Gender pay gap service and Modern slavery statement registry (Open Government Licence v3.0). Only large companies and employers with 250 or more staff have to report, so most companies have nothing here.

Registers and licences

Registered charityNo. 228824
Registered with the Charity Commission
25 Jul 1977
Income, year to 31 Mar 2026
£58m
Spending
£59.8m

To conduct and promote scientific research on infectious diseases of farm animals, including exotic diseases and to develop appropriate methods for their control; and on matters concerned with animal health and ancillary thereto, and to publish the results of such research.

View on the register of charities

Sponsor licence‡
Licence type and rating
Temporary Worker (A rating), Worker (A rating)
Routes
Charity Worker, Government Authorised Exchange, Skilled Worker

On the Home Office register of licensed sponsors, which lists organisations licensed to sponsor workers from overseas.

International trade‡

Listed by HMRC as an importer of goods in 12 of the last 12 months on record, most recently August 2026. Main goods: miscellaneous chemicals, pharmaceuticals, optical, medical and measuring instruments, plastics and organic chemicals.

Listed by HMRC as an exporter of goods in 10 of the last 12 months on record, most recently July 2026. Main goods: pharmaceuticals, miscellaneous chemicals, organic chemicals, plastics and machinery.

From HMRC's monthly lists of importers and exporters. Traders can ask to be left off the lists, so absence does not mean a company does not trade.

Sources: Charity Commission for England and Wales, Care Quality Commission, Home Office and HM Revenue & Customs, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Entries marked ‡ come from lists that do not state a company number and were linked by an exact match on the registered name.

History

3 events
  1. Financial year 2025/26 endedAccounts: net assets £322.4m
  2. Name changed to THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTEPreviously THE INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL HEALTH
  3. Company incorporatedPrivate company limited by guarantee

Dates as recorded at Companies House: incorporation, name changes, officer appointments and resignations, current persons with significant control, and the end of each financial year with figures in the database. Former persons with significant control are not listed.