National Institute For Health And Care Research (nihr)

Charity Number: CUSTOM_40A8AF26

Annual Expenditure: £1637.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1,637.76 million (2024/25)
  • Success Rate: ~20% (personal awards); varies by programme
  • Decision Time: Varies by programme; typically several months
  • Grant Range: £50,000 - £5,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily England (some programmes UK-wide, plus global health research)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.nihr.ac.uk

General Email: support@nihr.ac.uk or enquiries@nihr.ac.uk

Phone: 0207 333 50 60

Study Support Service: supportmystudy@nihr.ac.uk

Address: NIHR Coordinating Centre, University of Southampton, Alpha House, Enterprise Road, Southampton SO16 7NS

For pre-application support, researchers can contact the Study Support Service Helpdesk at supportmystudy@nihr.ac.uk

Overview

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is the British government's major funder of clinical, public health, social care and translational research. Established in 2006 under the government's Best Research for Best Health strategy and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, NIHR changed its name in 2022 to emphasise its role in social care research. With an annual budget exceeding £1.6 billion (2024/25), NIHR is described as the largest national clinical research funder in Europe. Its mission is to “improve the health and wealth of the nation through research” through six core workstreams: funding research for the NHS, public and global health and social care; investing in expertise and facilities; and involving patients and communities in research. Total spend has grown approximately 4.2% year-on-year, with over £1.3 billion distributed in 2023/24.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR): £2,000,000 - £5,000,000 over 4-6 years

  • Funds collaborative, multidisciplinary programmes of applied research to solve health and social care challenges
  • Competition 46 specifically seeks large programmes designed to lead to a step change in outcomes by delivering at scale and pace (£3-5 million across 5-6 years)
  • Applications via online portal with fixed competition deadlines

Programme Development Grants (PDG): Up to £250,000 for 12-24 months

  • Supports preparatory work to develop future research programmes
  • Rolling basis applications

Health Technology Assessment (HTA): Varies (annual spend £76 million across 584 projects in 2018/19)

  • Largest NIHR programme funding research trials and systematic reviews of clinical and cost-effectiveness
  • Both commissioned and researcher-led streams available
  • Fixed deadlines

Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB): £50,000 - £500,000 for up to 36 months

  • Tiered system: Tier 1 (up to £500k for RCTs with clear trajectory to benefit), Tier 2 (up to £300k for feasibility studies), Tier 3 (up to £200k for longer pathway research)
  • Three calls per year (typically March, July, November)
  • Two-stage application process

Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR): Varies

  • Funds high-quality research to meet NHS and social care managers' needs
  • Mixed commissioned and researcher-led

Work and Health Development Awards: £120,000 for up to 10 months (Development); £750,000 - £2,000,000 for up to 36 months (Research Awards)

  • Supports work and health research
  • Fixed deadlines

Doctoral and Advanced Fellowships: Varies

  • Personal training awards for early and mid-career researchers
  • Annual competitions

Priority Areas

  • Clinical trials and applied health research
  • Evidence synthesis and systematic reviews
  • Health technology assessment
  • Patient benefit and NHS service improvement
  • Social care research (strengthened focus since 2022 rebrand)
  • Work and health
  • Global health research (separate stream for LMIC partnerships)
  • Addressing health inequalities and widening research participation
  • Research with strong patient and public involvement (PPI)

What They Don't Fund

Financial Restrictions:

  • First class travel (only standard economy for rail/air)
  • Alcoholic beverages in subsistence costs
  • Computer costs above £1,000 each (including VAT and software)
  • UK statutory audit costs as direct costs
  • General recruitment, redundancy or training costs as direct costs
  • Duplicate equipment or activities already supported through existing NIHR awards

Excluded Research:

  • Studies funded by regional government awards intended to support local (not national) activities, including Academic Health Science Networks
  • Construction of entirely new buildings (capital funding)
  • Research without clear trajectory to NHS, public health, or social care benefit
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Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer: Professor Lucy Chappell, who also serves as Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

Governance Structure: NIHR operates as part of the Department of Health and Social Care rather than as an independent charity with traditional trustees. The NIHR Board provides advice to the CEO and supports delivery against NIHR's mission, designed to provide a balance of policy, scientific and operational perspectives. The Board includes Prof Chappell, Deputy Directors of the Science Research and Evidence Directorate, and NIHR's four operational leaders.

Key Bodies:

  • NIHR Board
  • NIHR Strategy and Engagement Board (advises on strategic matters)
  • NIHR Centres Executive Board (manages joint initiatives)
  • NIHR Coordinating Centre (operational responsibility)

Professor Chappell emphasises NIHR's role in delivering world-leading research that improves health and care across the UK.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through specific online portals depending on the programme. Most programmes operate either:

  • Fixed competition deadlines (e.g., RfPB has three calls annually in March, July, November)
  • Rolling basis (e.g., some PDG calls)
  • Commissioned calls (advertised for specific topics)

Key Requirements:

  • Most programmes require applications through an NHS body or other provider of NHS services in England (though lead applicants for many programmes can be from anywhere in the UK)
  • Two-stage process common (outline then full application)
  • Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is essential and assessed
  • All applications undergo initial eligibility screen, then review by selection committees
  • Templates and guidance notes provided for each programme

Decision Timeline

Timelines vary significantly by programme. All applications undergo:

  1. Initial screen for eligibility and remit compatibility
  2. Review by selection committee
  3. Recommendations to Chief Scientific Adviser and DHSC Science, Research and Evidence Directorate
  4. Funding decisions communicated by email

Applicants should be realistic about start dates, accounting for contracting and staff recruitment. The turnaround between outcome notification and potential start date may be short.

Success Rates

Personal Awards (Academy programmes 2006-2016): ~20-21.3% success rate, remaining stable over time with approximately one in five applications funded

By Programme: Success rates vary and NIHR publishes specific statistics for individual programmes including:

  • Programme Grants for Applied Research and Programme Development Grants
  • Health Technology Assessment Programme
  • Research for Patient Benefit
  • Invention for Innovation Programme

Success is influenced by: award level (more senior awards are more competitive), programme type, applicant's previous award experience, and institutional affiliation (applications from institutions with/associated with medical schools show higher success rates).

Reapplication Policy

NIHR permits reapplication of previously unsuccessful applications but encourages applicants not to reapply until they have reworked their application and responded to feedback provided.

When reapplying, applicants must provide:

  • The grant reference number of the previous application
  • Name(s) of funder(s) previously submitted to
  • Explanation of why the previous application was declined
  • Description of how the application has been changed and improved in response to feedback

Reapplications are treated as new applications and considered on their merits at the time of submission.

Application Success Factors

NIHR's Direct Advice

Clear Communication:

“Use visible headings, white space and flow diagrams. Make sure it tells the story for non-specialist readers, and leave time to read it through. Clear, simple writing is appreciated by committee members and referees. Applications with overly complicated designs and descriptions can often obscure important aspects.”

Utilise Full Word Count:

NIHR states: “Utilise the full word count, this is a competitive application process with a limited number of places” and applicants should “be clear and fully articulate any abbreviations or acronyms in full the first time they are used.”

Honest Reflection:

Applicants should “use open and honest reflection and consider your achievements and areas which could be improved” and “include your main aspirations for your leadership role.”

Critical Success Elements

Strong Research Question:

Start with your research question. Applications must address an important and enduring research gap and be scientifically sound.

Public Health Importance:

“The first stage in the assessment of your proposal will be on the public health importance of the research question – i.e. will your research provide the evidence needed by decision makers on a prominent public health issue, and will it reduce inequalities in health?”

Right Team Composition:

“Conducting a successful pragmatic clinical trial, evidence synthesis, qualitative research, modelling or a diagnostic test study requires a combination of content expertise and methodological skills. Too often we see an excellent proposal with key people missing from the team.”

Patient and Public Involvement:

“You should involve members of the public in designing your research to ensure it is relevant.” This is central to NIHR's 2025-2030 Strategic Commitments for Public Partnerships.

Justified Costs:

“Costs and staff time commitments should be realistic and clearly justified.”

For Fellowships:

Show clear career plans, independent ideas, robust research projects, relevant and diverse mentors/supervisors, supportive host organisations, and thorough training/development plans aligned with career progression.

Recent Funded Examples

  • ICALD (Improving Communication with Adults with Learning Disabilities) - Dr Vicky Slonims and Professor Martin Knapp
  • CO-ACTION - Personalised social and self-management support for multiple long-term conditions - Dr Dan Kunkel and Professor Mari Carmen Portillo
  • Shiftwork sleep disorder intervention in NHS workers - Professor David Ray
  • 13 work and health development awards totalling £1.5m

Common Pitfalls

  • Overly complicated designs that obscure important aspects
  • Missing key team members with necessary methodological skills
  • Insufficient public involvement in research design
  • Poorly justified budgets
  • Not addressing feedback in reapplications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Patient involvement is non-negotiable: NIHR has made public partnerships a strategic priority for 2025-2030. Demonstrate meaningful PPI throughout your research design, not as an afterthought.
  • Tell your story clearly: Use the full word count but prioritise clarity over complexity. Non-specialist reviewers need to understand your research question and public health importance immediately.
  • Build the right team early: Methodological expertise gaps are a common reason for rejection. Assemble a team with both content knowledge and appropriate research methods skills before submitting.
  • Know your programme tier: For RfPB, understand whether your research fits Tier 1, 2, or 3 based on trajectory to patient benefit, and budget accordingly (£500k/£300k/£200k limits).
  • Respond thoroughly to feedback: If reapplying, NIHR expects substantial rework addressing all reviewer comments. Superficial revisions won't succeed.
  • Start with public health importance: This is explicitly the first assessment criterion. Your research must provide evidence needed by decision-makers on prominent public health issues and address health inequalities.
  • Take time and seek external review: NIHR emphasises developing applications thoroughly and obtaining feedback from multiple reviewers, especially those outside your immediate field, before submission.
  • Match institutional requirements: Check whether your programme requires England-based lead applicants or accepts UK-wide leads. Most allow co-applicants from anywhere in the UK.

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References