Where to find funding
Where to find funding
NIHR is the nation’s largest funder of health and care research, spending £1 billion from the Department of Health and Social Care on research every year. However, a wide range of bodies fund health and social care research, including charities i.e. Alzheimer’s Society and the Medical Research Council, or industry, some fund projects jointly. Most have specific areas of interest and many are disease specific. Sources of further information include (note this is not an exhaustive list):
- Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) is the national membership organisation for medical and health research charities. AMRC members support over one-third of all UK publicly-funded medical research in the UK, with members investing over £1.2 billion in health research in the UK in 2012.
- Medical Research Council (MRC) funds research through a range of grants, calls, highlight notices, studentships and fellowships.
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a range of programmes addressing a broad range of health priorities. Funding is based on the quality and relevance of the research to personal social services, public health and the NHS.
- NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) is part of the NIHR, manages a number of research programmes, including: Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation; Health Services and Delivery Research; Health Technology Assessment; Public Health Research; and Systematic Reviews.
- UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) many different organisations fund health research in the UK. The UKCRC has developed a coherent approach to health research funding by providing a forum to coordinate the activities of funding bodies and by developing an evidence base to inform strategic planning.
- UK Research Office (UKRO) is the European office of the UK Research Councils. Activities include providing details on European Commission funding opportunities.
There is support available to you when preparing a grant application.
Specific Calls
Funder |
Clinical area |
Research question |
Criteria |
Amount |
Deadline |
NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme |
Children and young people |
Randomised Controlled Trial Minimum duration of follow-up is 12 months |
No maximum limit |
29/11/2022 (Stage 1) |
|
NIHR Public Health Research Programme |
Health inequalities |
Evaluation of interventions operating at a population level rather than at an individual level, which should address health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. Primary or secondary research, i.e. trials, evaluations, or analysis of epidemiological data.
|
No maximum limit |
29/11/2022 (Stage 1)
Webinar for applicants on Wednesday 28 September, 14:45–16:00 |
|
NIHR Public Health Research Programme |
Health inequalities |
|
Evaluation of interventions operating at a population level rather than at an individual level, which should address health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. Primary or secondary research, i.e. trials, evaluations, or analysis of epidemiological data.
|
No fixed limit |
29/11/2022 (Stage 1)
Webinar for applicants on Wednesday 28 September, 14:45–16:00 |
NIHR Public Health Research Programme |
Perinatal |
|
Evaluation of interventions operating at a population level rather than at an individual level, which should address health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. Primary or secondary research, i.e. trials, evaluations, or analysis of epidemiological data.
|
No fixed limit |
29/11/2022 (Stage 1)
Webinar for applicants on Wednesday 28 September, 14:45–16:00 |
Wellcome Trust |
Anxiety, depression, psychosis |
PhD (or equivalent) and significant postdoctoral research experience, ready to lead independent research programme. Interested in applications that advance understanding of the dynamic changes that occur in sleep and circadian rhythm across trajectories and phases of anxiety, depression and psychosis, in different developmental, geographical, societal and cultural contexts. |
Up to £3M over 5 years |
19/10/2022 |
Generic Calls
Funder |
Clinical area |
Title |
Criteria |
Amount |
Deadline |
Wellcome |
N/a |
Early Careers Awards |
PhD or at least four years' equivalent research experience
Early-career researcher ready to design, plan and deliver own innovative research project that aims to:
Advance understanding in your field and/or
Develop methodologies, conceptual frameworks, tools or techniques that could benefit health-related research. |
salary and up to £400,000 for 5 years |
18/10/2022 |
Wellcome |
N/A |
Mid-career researcher and ready to lead a substantial and innovative research programme; Make a key contribution to your field by:
|
Not specified, 8 years
|
01/12/2022 |
|
Barts Charity |
Enhance our understanding of health and illness and/or have the potential to lead to improved lives in East London.
|
|
Applicants need to be in post at one of the below:
|
Up to £75,000 for staff and research costs specific to your application, over up to 12 months (or 18 months for projects that involve patient/participant recruitment). |
Applications accepted 4 times a year. Upcoming deadlines: 20/10/2022 27/01/2023 |
Barts Charity |
Enhance our understanding of health and illness, with potential to lead to improved lives in East London.
|
Applicants need to be in post at one of the below:
|
£75,000 to £600,000 for staff and research costs specific to your application, over up to 36 months (or 48 months if includes PhD studentship). |
Applications accepted twice a year. Next deadline: 6/10/2022 |
|
Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Public Health |
Applicants need at least a postgraduate degree and an employment contract for the duration of the award at an eligible research organisation. Early-stage development of interventions that seek to address either UK or global public health challenges, including qualitative and quantitative primary research and the development of theory and logic models. |
up to £150,000, for a maximum of 18 months. |
15/09/2022 |
|
Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Neuroscience and mental health |
Researcher with at least postgraduate degree, but PhD preferred. Funding for new collaborations that will transform our understanding of neurosciences and mental health. |
Not stated |
27/09/2022 |
|
Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Neuroscience and mental health |
Applicants need to have a postgraduate degree and employed by eligible organisation, ready to take the next step to become an independent PI. Proposal for research that increases understanding within the field of neurosciences and mental health. |
Maximum limit not specified, but funding lasts three years and covers up to 50% of salary and 80% of full economic costs of project. |
27/09/2022 Future deadlines in January and May. |
|
Medical Research Council (MRC) |
N/a |
Anyone who has taken a break of two years or more from research for family, caring or health reasons. A PhD, or at least three years research experience (academic or industrial) prior to the career break (with evidence of research impacts and outcomes) |
Salary and expenses up to £1,500 |
Applications accepted throughout the year. Specific Sponsored Fellowships advertised throughout the year. |
PhD Fellowships
Funder |
Clinical area |
Summary |
Criteria |
Amount |
Deadline |
Wellcome |
Under-represented populations and diseases |
Research projects must focus on underrepresented populations and diseases and can address mechanisms, phenotypes or therapies.
Funding for health professionals.
1 year pre-doctoral training also available. |
FT salary for 3 years |
2023 deadline TBC |
|
Wellcome |
Translational neuroscience
Data science and digital technologies
Society, Policy and Mental Health |
King’s PhD Programme in Mental Health Research for Health Professionals |
health or social care professionals and be registered with a national professional regulatory body |
FT salary for 3 years |
2023 deadline TBC |
Medical Research Council (MRC) |
MRC science area, including:
|
registered healthcare professional, either:
|
Salary and project costs for 3 years |
07/09/2022
Application rounds open three times per year, closing in January, April and September. |
|
London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS DTP) |
Open to UK and international students
Research proposal developed by applicant |
Either full or part-time (50%) in either 1+3 (1 year-Masters degree following by a 3-year PhD) or +3 (3-year PhD) format. |
2023 deadline TBC |
||
Barts Charity |
Enhance our understanding of health and illness and/or have the potential to lead to improved lives in East London. |
Healthcare Professional Clinical Research Training Fellowships |
Healthcare professionals employed by Barts Health NHS Trust, Queen Mary University of London or City, University of London |
3 years of full time salary support |
04/11/2022 |