Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Pre-announcement: ADR UK Research Fellowships 2025

Opportunity status:
Upcoming
Funders:
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Funding type:
Fellowship
Total fund:
£1,800,000
Maximum award:
£200,000
Publication date:
1 October 2025
Opening date:
Closing date:

Last updated: 3 October 2025 - see all updates

Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) invites applicants to propose research projects that demonstrate the policy-impact potential of ADR England flagship datasets. Awarded grants will commence in Autumn 2026.

Researchers can apply for a fellowship:

  • up to 18 months in duration
  • up to a maximum of £200,000 for the entire fellowship

We advise on the following time commitments which needs to be reflected in the grant costings and within the maximum sum available:

  • a maximum of 0.4 full-time equivalent during the ‘initial’ stage (first three months)
  • a minimum of 0.6 full-time equivalent for the ‘core’ research phase (remaining 15 months)

This is a pre-announcement and subject to change. The funding opportunity will open on 13 November 2025. More information will be available on this page by then.

Who can apply

To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. Check if your organisation is eligible.

Who is eligible to apply

All researchers irrespective of career stage are encouraged to apply and for full details on Eligibility as an individual, please see web page.

Please note, researchers new to administrative data should include strong mentoring and capacity building plans as part of their fellowship to support their research goals.

Who is not eligible to apply

The following are not eligible to apply:

  • project leads (international)
  • project co-leads (international)
  • international fellows

Please note: ADR England flagship data can only be accessed from within the UK. Applicants must remain based in the UK for the full duration of the fellowship.

Resubmissions

We invite resubmissions of unsuccessful applications that have previously been submitted to ADR UK, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding opportunities, providing they have been sufficiently revised in line with the UKRI Resubmission policy.

Find out more about ADR UK’s resubmissions policy (PDF, 96KB).

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

  • career breaks
  • support for people with caring responsibilities
  • flexible working
  • alternative working patterns

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Remit

Complete and submit the remit query form if you are unsure whether your proposed research falls within the remit of Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

What we're looking for

Aim

ADR UK is a partnership transforming access to public sector data for public good research. It includes ADR England, ADR Northern Ireland, ADR Scotland, ADR Wales, and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). For ADR UK research Fellowship’s 2026, we invite applications to conduct research and analysis demonstrating the policy impact potential of eligible ADR England flagship datasets.

Scope

We are looking for research proposals that utilise ADR England flagship datasets and meet the following four ADR UK Research Fellowship objectives:

  • Useful Research: act as ‘pathfinders’ for conducting research and deriving insights from the linked datasets which showcase the potential for policy impact and public benefit. This must also include addressing the advertised research priorities
  • Useful Data: develop our flagship datasets as useful research resources for future users
  • Useful Engagement: foster opportunities to engage with government and the public to shape the project to deliver impact and to maintain public acceptance for the use of data for research purposes
  • Community Building: boost the applicant’s development as a research leader using administrative data, and to personally contribute to the creation and development of wider, self-sustaining communities of practice

More detail can be found in the ADR UK Research Fellowship General Research Specification (PDF, 193KB).

Duration

The duration of this award is 18 months.

Projects must start in September 2026.

Funding available

The full economic cost of your project can be up to £200,000.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) will fund up to 80% of the full economic cost whilst the remainder should be funded by your research organisation.

We advise on the following time commitments which needs to be reflected in the grant costings and be affordable within the maximum sum available:

  • a maximum of 0.4 full-time equivalent during the ‘initial’ stage (three months)
  • a minimum of 0.6 full-time equivalent for the ‘core’ research phase (15 months)

More detail about the rationale for these time comments can be found in the ADR UK Research Fellowship General Specification (PDF 193KB).

What we will fund

All proposed projects must make use of ADR England flagship dataset(s) (see ‘ADR England Flagship datasets’) and meet the four ADR UK Research Fellowship objectives (see ‘Scope’).

Although not required, we welcome:

  • collaborative proposals developed with project partners including government data owners, the voluntary and community sector or other relevant bodies who can use the evidence your project generates and have aligned strategic priorities
  • the use of supplementary datasets to add value to a programme of work, if they are already available through the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Secure Research Services (SRS) or, are pre-existing datasets that can be brought into the ONS SRS. Please contact ONS to check your requirements and establish feasibility

Note: all applicants are responsible for developing projects that can be accredited under the Five Safes framework and per the guidance provided by each ADR UK Trusted Research Environment (see ‘Gaining secure data access’ section. This includes working with data owners before you submit your research fellowship application to ensure your project is feasible and can be delivered with available data.

All funding decisions are provisional, pending formal project review accreditation by the ADR UK Trusted Research Environment and relevant data owners.

Funding prioritisation

ADR UK may seek a balanced portfolio of projects across our ADR England flagship dataset collection.

What we will not fund

We will not fund research that does not use ADR England flagship datasets, in addition to:

  • research that is not feasible based on the use of specific ADR England flagship datasets
  • research objectives that do not align with any of the advertised research priorities
  • research that does not benefit the public or is otherwise not accreditable by the relevant ADR UK Trusted Research Environment (see ‘Gaining secure access to the data’)
  • research objectives that are not deliverable within the time frame of the fellowship
  • proposals that focus too much on any supplementary data instead of capitalising on ADR England flagship datasets
  • researchers not eligible for this funding opportunity

Supporting skills and talent

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.

ADR UK has developed a Learning Hub to specifically support researchers to use administrative data in research including training to complement specific ADR UK flagship data.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.

Data requirements

ESRC recognises the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research. See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.

Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the ‘Data management’ section. See the importance of managing and sharing data and content for inclusion in a data management plan on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect applicants to provide a summary of the points provided. For guidance on the availability of data within the academic community and advice on data deposit requirements, email the UKDS datasharing@ukdataservice.ac.uk

Impact, innovation and interdisciplinarity

We expect applicants to consider the potential scientific, societal and economic impacts of their research. Outputs, dissemination and impact are a key part of the criteria for most expert review and assessment processes. We also encourage applications that demonstrate innovation and interdisciplinarity (research combining approaches from more than one discipline).

Knowledge exchange and collaboration

We are committed to knowledge exchange and encouraging collaboration between

researchers and the private, public and civil society sectors. Collaborative working benefits both the researchers and the individuals or organisations involved. Through collaboration, partners learn about each other’s expertise, share knowledge and gain an appreciation of different professional cultures. Collaborative activity can therefore lead to a better understanding of the ways that academic research can add value and offer insights to key issues of concern for policy and practice.

Knowledge exchange should not be treated as an ‘add-on’ at the end of a project but considered before the start and built into a project.

Research ethics

ESRC requires that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to proper professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance. We have agreed a Framework for Research Ethics that all submitted proposals must comply with. Read further details about the Framework for Research Ethics and guidance on compliance.

The use of ADR UK’s flagship data in research is governed and regulated by the Digital Economy Act 2017.

The UK Statistics Authority promotes and safeguards the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good, where the Trusted Research Environment is the ONS. The UK Statistics Authority will independently assess researchers self-assessment ethics form against outlined Ethical Principles.

Opportunity-specific details

Research priorities for ADR UK RF2025

In accordance with the first objective ‘Useful Research’, all ADR UK Research Fellowship projects should be designed to deliver relevant insights to inform policy and practice, and create public benefit. You should align your project by considering one or more of the following:

  • priority research questions, which can be found on the ADR UK webpage for your chosen flagship dataset(s). See ‘ADR England flagship datasets’
  • areas of research interest (ARIs) specified by relevant UK government departments, which can be found on the ARI Database
  • the UK government’s current missions: Plan for Change – GOV.UK
  • the research agendas co-created with sector relevant stakeholders by our two ADR England Community Catalysts on the topics of Youth Transitions and Children and Risk of Poor Outcomes
  • formulating research questions in collaboration with data owners or other relevant bodies who can use the evidence your project generates, accompanied by a project partner letter of support
  • developing your project in partnership with organisations in the voluntary and community sector, accompanied by a project partner letter of support

You are also encouraged to consider how your project might align to existing ESRC priority areas including:

  • supporting evidence on what works through the evaluation of historic or current policy changes, interventions and programmes, and the impacts they have on wider society
  • exploring the potential for administrative data to contribute to behavioural research and complement existing ESRC investments

Alignment to policy-relevant research questions will be assessed under the vision assessment criteria.

Project partners: joint projects, placements and secondments

ADR UK recognises the value of close collaboration with research project stakeholders. We encourage you to consider how you might embed partnership working into your fellowship. For example, this might include building relationships with key organisations that could derive public benefit from your research insights, in order to boost the potential and future impact of the data, research and your engagement.

This could be facilitated through a formal secondment for part or all of the fellowship, or it could be a more informal collaborative arrangement through a project partnership. Previous examples have included collaboration with third sector organisations to complete a quantitative research project alongside a complimentary qualitative project conducted by partner organisations.

This is not an essential part of this fellowship funding opportunity, but we would like to accommodate co-production and encourage co-design of research projects in order to maximise the public good from making these datasets available.

Communications and engagement

ADR UK Research Fellows are required to communicate their work in accessible formats to maximise the impact of their research. This includes communications outputs aimed at policymakers, practitioners, the public, data owners and other researchers. They are also required to embed meaningful public engagement to ensure their project serves the public good. Further details of the importance of this can be found in the ADR UK general research specification (PDF, 193 KB) and full details of ADR UK requirements, can be found in communications and engagement expectations for fellowships (PDF, 205 KB).

ADR England flagship datasets

ADR England flagship datasets are population-level linked administrative datasets which are purposefully curated and de-identified to enable researchers to develop unprecedented insights into our society. Covering a diverse range of themes, from education and health to experiences of the justice system, these datasets can be used to answer pressing policy questions, to inform decisions that improve people’s lives. These datasets are held within ADR UK’s Trusted Research Environments, specifically the ONS’s Secure Research Service as well as in the SAIL Databank.

The datasets in scope for this funding opportunity, and currently available to all accredited researchers, are as follows.

Administrative Data, Agricultural Research Collection – England.
Read the priority research questions for the Administrative Data, Agricultural Research Collection dataset (PDF, 139KB).

Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) linked to 2011 Census – England and Wales.
Read the priority research questions for the ASHE linked to 2011 Census dataset (PDF, 134KB).

ASHE linked to PAYE and Self-Assessment data – England, Scotland and Wales.
Read the priority research questions for the ASHE linked to PAYE and self-assessment dataset (PDF, 134KB)

Data First: Cross-Justice System – England and Wales.
Read the priority research questions for the Data First: Cross-Justice System dataset (PDF, 180KB).

Data First: Family Court linked to Cafcass and Census 2021 – England and Wales. Read the priority research questions for the Data First: Family Court linked to Cafcass and Census 2021 dataset (PDF, 159KB).

Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data – England.
Read the priority research questions for the Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data dataset (PDF, 199KB).

Grading and Admissions Data for England.
Read the priority research questions for the Grading and Admissions Data for England dataset (PDF, 6KB).

Longitudinal Education Outcomes – England.
Read the priority research questions for the Longitudinal Education Outcome dataset (PDF, 189KB).

Ministry of Justice and Department for Education linked dataset – England.
Read the priority research questions for the Ministry of Justice and Department for Education dataset (PDF, 179KB).

Up and coming ADR England Flagship datasets that are close to being available to all accredited researchers via the ONS SRS and we hope to be in scope of this fellowship funding opportunity are as follows.

ASHE linked to Migrant Workers Scan – England. Read the priority research questions for the ASHE linked to Migrant Workers Scan dataset (PDF, 6KB).

Nursing and Midwifery Council Register linked to Census 2021 – England and Wales. Read the priority research questions for the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register linked to Census 2021 dataset (PDF, 163KB).

RAPID: Population interactions with employment, benefits and pensions – UK.
Read the priority research questions for the RAPID: Population interactions with employment, benefits and pensions dataset (PDF, 180KB).

Our ADR UK flagship dataset pages will be updated with information and documentation for these datasets before they are available to applications via the ONS SRS. More information will also be provided at the full announcement stage.

Gaining secure data access

ADR UK partners have rigorous safeguards in place to ensure the data cannot be accessed by any unauthorised persons, or for any reason other than research that passes the public benefit test. These safeguards are defined by the Five Safes framework developed by the ONS and include accreditation of the researcher and accreditation of the research project.

All applicants are responsible for developing projects that can be accredited under the Five Safes framework and per the guidance provided by each ADR UK Trusted Research Environment. This includes working with data owners before you submit your research fellowship application to ensure your project is feasible and can be delivered with available data.

Researchers (or their institution) may be required to enter into a data access or sharing agreement with data owners. Please check the requirements for the dataset(s) you are requesting prior to submitting an application.

Information about gaining secure access to the data in ONS SRS and the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) is provided below.

Preparation for data being accessed via the ONS SRS

Safe people

Successful applicants will need to become an accredited researcher of the ONS SRS and have their project approved under the data owners’ information governance review process. Applicants can become an Accredited Researcher by applying to the People and Project Service (PPS), which is supported by free training provided by the ONS. This process will need to be started before an ADR UK funded project is started.

Safe projects

Once a researcher is accredited and following the successful awarding of an ADR UK grant, applicants will need to have their project accredited to ensure it is feasible, legal, ethical and in the public interest. A project application can be submitted to the ONS SRS via the Project Accreditation Service for the SRS (PASS) platform.

Approval by the relevant data owners to use the data for specific research projects is essential and part of the above project accreditation process. For ADR UK research fellows, early data owner approval is coordinated by ADR UK as part of the decision-making process. See ‘Assessment Process: Stage 3 Feasibility Checking’.

On average, it can take around 10 weeks for an application to be approved but this is often quicker if the application provides sufficient detail and application guidance is followed correctly. Depending on several factors, for example the complexity of the project or the time it takes for data owners to provide their approvals, the process may take longer.

Should a project mentor or research associate require access to project data or project output’s, before information is submitted for Data Clearance (PDF, 813KB) from the SRS, they will be required to be an accredited researcher and named on the application.

For any questions regarding the ONS accreditation and approval process, please contact srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk

For any questions relating to a specific dataset, please contact adrcuration@ons.gov.uk

Safe settings

To use the ONS SRS, you must access it through an appropriate safe setting.

The full range of safe setting access options currently available to access the SRS are:

SafePoint is a new secure data access solution from the SafePod Network, which uses a custom built desk within an approved room at an organisation. The major benefit to a researcher is that all the ongoing security requirements and assurances to access the SRS is provided by the SafePod Network once a SafePoint is installed.

You must apply separately to the SafePod Network for a SafePoint, and this must be completed prior to your research fellowship application. Funding costs for a SafePoint can be included in your research fellowship application. Your application must also state that you have successfully applied for a SafePoint. For more information about SafePoint please visit the SafePod Network website.

Access to a dataset is categorised to security levels, reflecting data’s origin and contents and in turn informs how data can be used within the SRS. Information associated with each dataset can be found on ONS’s Metadata catalogue. Please ensure appropriate outlined provisions are identified in the application.

Please note, the SRS permits the application of machine learning techniques and will consider their use on a case-by-case basis. Only traditional ‘static’ outputs (for example, tabulations, graphs, written reports, code) are permitted. Machine learning model files cannot be exported from the ONS SRS.

The ONS Integrated Data Service is no longer available to new external research projects including via this ADR UK Research Fellowship funding opportunity.

Safe outputs

Any work (data, code and notes) removed from the trusted research environment, for example the ONS SRS, need to successfully pass the output clearance process and in some cases be further reviewed and approved by the data owner(s). Adequate time for output clearance should therefore be factored into the production and publication timeline.

Preparation for data being accessed via the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL)

Some ADR England flagship datasets are held in the SAIL databank, and SAIL operates a two-stage application process.

Stage 1 enables the scoping of a research agenda and confirmation of researcher’s credentials. Applicants are encouraged to complete a contact form to outline proposed work and, in addition, must become an accredited researcher (by applying to the People and Project Service (PPS)). Following submission of a enquires form, member(s) of the SAIL team will initiate discussions on the data feasibility. Stage 2 requires the completion of a scoping document and subsequent completion of online Information Governance Review Panel (IGRP) application form. Please note, there are costs associated with accessing data via the SAIL Trusted Research Environment. People and Project Service (PPS). Following submission of an enquires form, members of the SAIL team will initiate discussions on the data feasibility.

Stage 2 requires the completion of a scoping document and subsequent completion of an online Information Governance Review Panel (IGRP) application form. Please note, there are costs associated with accessing data via the SAIL Trusted Research Environment.

SAIL hosted ADR UK Flagship datasets can be accessed both remotely and via SafePods, details of this process can be found on the SAIL webpage.

For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, please read the ADR UK general research specification (PDF, 193KB) and consult the ADR UK Communication and Engagement expectations (PDF, 205KB) documentation.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. We will publish full details on how to apply when the funding opportunity opens.

The fellow is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

Institutional matched funding

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.

Summary

Word limit: 550

In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.

We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:

  • opinion-formers
  • policymakers
  • the public
  • the wider research community

Guidance for writing a summary

Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:

  • context
  • the challenge the project addresses
  • aims and objectives
  • potential applications and benefits
  • meeting the ADR UK Research Fellowship objectives and ensuring research is in the public interest
  • your chosen ADR UK flagship dataset

Core team

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

  • fellow
  • project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
  • specialist
  • grant manager
  • professional enabling staff
  • technician

Only list one individual as project fellow.

UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.

Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.

Application questions

Vision

Word limit: 1,100

What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your proposed work:

  • is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
  • has the potential to advance current understanding, or generate new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area of its focus
  • is timely, given current trends, context, and needs
  • impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment

References may be included within this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

In the Vision section we also expect you to:

  • clearly state the policy or societal challenge you are addressing (including specific reference to the advertised research priorities, government ARIs or project partner letters of support)
  • identify the potential direct or indirect benefits and who the beneficiaries might be
  • identify how the research is being undertaken for public good
  • explain how the proposed work uses ADR England flagship data (exclusively or in combination with other data) in an innovative way to address the challenge identified.

Please use the ADR UK Research Fellowship General Specification (PDF,193KB) referring especially to the ‘Useful Research’ objective to inform your answers.

Detailed methodology, stakeholder engagement plans, and data access processes should be covered in the Approach section.

Approach

Word limit: 2,750

How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how you have designed your work so that it:

  • is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
  • is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how you will manage them
  • uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
  • summarises the previous work and describes how you will build on and progress this work (if applicable)
  • will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
  • engages with a specific public group or groups, relevant to your project’s objectives, working with partner and intermediary organisations where appropriate

References may be included in this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Within the Approach section we also expect you to:

  • provide a detailed and comprehensive project plan, including milestones and timelines in the form of charts or diagrams
  • clearly describe both the framework and specific analysis methods proposed and explain the reasons for their choice. You should particularly mention any innovation in this or how different methodologies or methods may be combined
  • explain what steps you will take to provide opportunities for users to benefit from your research, and to ensure that your research has maximum economic and societal impact in alignment with the ‘Useful Engagement’ objective
  • identify which ADR England flagship dataset you intend to use as well as any supplementary administrative data or other data (if applicable)
  • list your specific research questions and hypotheses and provide detail on how they will be addressed using the dataset. For example, variables that will be used and geographic level
  • provide a brief impact plan which identifies the types of activities, schedule, key interest holders, including publics (people with lived experience, public sector representatives or both), and anticipated outcomes and planned publications
  • describe how you will also enhance the value of the linked datasets for the benefits for others, including future researchers and data owners in alignment with the ‘Useful Data’ objective
  • describe your contribution to the creation and development of a wider, self-sustaining communities of practice in alignment with the ‘Community Building’ objective

Please use the Research Fellowship General Specification (PDF, 193KB) to inform your answers.

Applicant capability to deliver

Word limit: 1,650

Why are you the right individual to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Evidence of how you have:

  • the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to make best use of the benefits presented by this funding opportunity to develop your career
  • the right balance of skills and aptitude to deliver the proposed work
  • contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community
  • the appropriate team working or leadership skills (appropriate to career stage)

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

The word limit for this section is 1,650 words, 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you have and how this will help to deliver the proposed work. You can include specific achievements and choose past contributions that best evidence your ability to deliver this work.

Complete this section using the following R4RI module headings. You should use each heading once, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills you bring:

  • contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
  • the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
  • contributions to the wider research and innovation community
  • contributions to broader research or innovation, users and audiences, and towards wider societal benefit

Additions: Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).

You should complete this section as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.

The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.

Career development

Word limit: 1,000

Why is this fellowship the right way to develop your career and how will you use it to benefit others?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure that you have identified:

  • career development goals appropriate to the fellowship funding opportunity
  • how the fellowship will provide a feasible and appropriate trajectory for your personal development and to achieve your stated career development goals (as appropriate to your career stage and field)
  • how you will instigate positive change in the wider research and innovation community to drive up the use of ADR UK’s flagship data. You should also consider Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), advocacy or advisory roles, stakeholder engagement, participation in expert review, influencing policy, public engagement, or outreach

Within the Career development section, we also expect you to describe:

  • how the proposed work will provide a feasible and appropriate trajectory for you to acquire additional skills, like research, leadership, communication and management including through the delivery of the ‘Community Building’ objective (Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers).
  • what mentoring arrangements are proposed and how they are appropriate to you

Please use the ADR UK Research Fellowship General Specification (PDF, 193KB) to inform your answers.

Host organisation support

Word limit: 1,000

How will the host organisation support your fellowship?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a support statement including:

  • evidence detailing how the host will support you, as appropriate for your career development and the vision and approach of the fellowship
  • who you have engaged with in your host organisation (name and role)
  • how your research environment will contribute to the success of the work, in terms of suitability of the host organisation and strategic relevance to the project
  • how the host organisation will ensure your time commitment to the fellowship is protected
  • what development and training opportunities will be provided and how they form a cohesive career development package tailored to your aims and aspirations
  • what financial or practical support, such as access to the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment, is being provided and how this strengthens your application

Within the Host organisation support section we also expect you to describe:

  • if present, what methods are in place to ensure governance exists to underpin data use and infrastructure to enable secure data access

Resources and cost justification

Word limit: 1,000

What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular:

  • project staff
  • significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
  • any equipment that will cost more than £25,000
  • any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
  • all facilities and infrastructure costs
  • training costs
  • all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’

You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders.

We recommend that you further

  • identify any co-funding to strengthen your application (optional)
  • identify what resources or infrastructure are available to support the dissemination of research conclusions (for example, infrastructure for peer-review publication submissions, and platforms to support open-research methodologies)
  • confirm if new or additional access to any specialist infrastructure is required for secure data access (for example, SafePod, SafePoint, Assured Organisational Connectivity) and if costs are associated

Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work, with justification of value for money:

  • are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
  • represent optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
  • maximise potential outcomes and impacts
  • demonstrated value for the funding deliverables

For detailed guidance on eligible costs please see the ESRC Research Funding Guide.

Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)

Word limit: 500

What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work?

If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:

  • the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations
  • how you will manage these considerations

If you are collecting or using data you should identify:

  • any legal and ethical considerations of collecting, releasing and storing the data (including consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security and other ethical considerations and, in particular, strategies to not preclude further reuse of data)
  • formal information standards that your proposed work will comply with

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Feasibility data requirements

Word limit: 1,000

Please describe the data you believe you will need to answer your research objectives.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

User guides and data dictionaries can be found on the ADR England Flagship dataset pages along with the metadata which can be found on the ADR UK Data Catalogue. Make sure you do this for each ADR England flagship dataset you intend to use.

Include as much detail as possible across the following areas:

  • dataset(s): name the ADR England flagship dataset(s) you wish to access
  • data tables: identify specific tables or data structures you intend to use, if known. If not, describe the kinds of records or events you need (for example, pupil-level data, hospital admissions, court applications)
  • variables: list key variables you plan to use. If exact names are unknown, describe the concepts (for example, socioeconomic status, diagnosis codes, intervention types, geography)
  • population and timeframe: define the population of interest (for example children born between 2000 and 2010) and the time period of data required
  • linkage requirements: if your project involves linking datasets (including publicly available data), specify which datasets, the linkage method (for example pseudonymised identifiers), and whether linkage is pre-existing or needs to be created
  • feasibility considerations: note any assumptions or uncertainties about data availability, quality, or completeness. This helps the data owner assess feasibility and advise on refinements

You are not expected to have full knowledge of the dataset structure at this stage. Conceptual descriptions are acceptable and will be used to guide the feasibility check. You may refine your request later based on metadata and feedback from the data owner.

Primary discipline classification

Word limit: 5

Enter the primary discipline for this project.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Select one primary area of research from the list of social disciplines below and enter into the text field. This information is used to determine eligibility for ESRC funding and to assist in the selection of appropriate reviewers.

  • area studies
  • demography
  • development studies
  • economics
  • education
  • environmental planning
  • history
  • human geography
  • law and legal studies
  • linguistics
  • management and business studies
  • political science and international studies
  • psychology
  • science and technology studies
  • social anthropology
  • social policy
  • social work
  • sociology
  • tools, technologies and methods

Data management and sharing

Word limit: 500

How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a data management plan that clearly details how you will comply with UKRI’s published data sharing policy, which includes detailed guidance notes.

Demonstrate that you have designed your proposed work so that you can appropriately manage and share data in accordance with ESRC’s Research Data Policy and ESRC Framework for Research Ethics (if applicable).

Within the ‘Data management and sharing’ section we also expect you to:

  • plan for the research through the life cycle of the award until data is accepted for archiving by the UK Data Service (UKDS) or a responsible data repository
  • demonstrate compliance with ESRC’s Research Data Policy and ESRC Framework for Research Ethics. This should include confirmation that existing datasets have been reviewed and why currently available datasets are inadequate for the proposed research
  • cover any legal and ethical considerations of collecting, releasing or storing the data, including consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security and other ethical issues
  • include any challenges to data sharing (for example copyright or data confidentiality), with possible solutions discussed to optimise data sharing

If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Word limit: 250

What approaches and activities do you have planned that will embed EDI into your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your EDI plan:

  • is effective and appropriate to embed ED
  • comprehensively identifies the key EDI challenges and how they will be addressed and/or managed
  • will report and measure EDI outcomes
  • will maximise awareness of and mitigate against bias in your team and the wider community in terms of gender, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic through processes, behaviours and culture
  • describes how your approach will build upon and integrate existing EDI good practice into your proposed work
  • will share good practice with the wider community to ensure your research has maximum impact

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

References may be included within this section.

Embedding environment sustainability

Word limit: 250

How will you embed environmental sustainability within the grant activities.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your proposed work will embed environmental sustainability throughout its aims, objectives, operations and research outcomes.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

References may be included within this section.

Facilities

Word limit: 250

Does your proposed research require the support and use of a facility?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you will need to use a facility, follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project.

Identify your requirements as follows:

  • state which facility listed in the UKRI facility information list your project requires (for example SAIL, ONS Secure Research Service)
  • if the project utilises an Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) through the ONS Secure Research Service, please detail whether office or home working or a combination will be used
  • if the project will require use of SafePod or SafePoints, please specify the location
  • demonstrate access to an appropriate safe setting

For each requested facility you will need to provide the:

  • name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 42KB)
  • proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
  • confirmation you have their agreement where required

Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above. If you will not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

Providing your application passes basic office checks, we will assess your application using the following process, consisting of four stages.

Expert review

We will invite experts to review your application independently, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity.

You will not be able to nominate reviewers for applications on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. Research councils will continue to select expert reviewers.

We are monitoring the requirement for applicant-nominated reviewers as we review policies and processes as part of the continued development of the new Funding Service.

Application sift and applicant response

Applications receiving sufficiently supportive expert reviews will be invited to respond to reviewers’ comments. You will be given 14 calendar days to provide a response or ten working days if longer. Applications which do not receive sufficiently supportive expert reviews will normally be rejected at this stage.

Feasibility Checking

As applications involve access to administrative data, a feasibility check will be undertaken by the relevant data owner(s) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This process assesses whether the requested data is available, appropriate, and proportionate to the research aims, and whether any data linkage or access conditions can be met. The outcome of this check may inform the final funding decision.

Panel

Following expert review, we will invite panel members to use the evidence provided by the expert reviewers, the feasibility checks and your applicant response to assess the quality of your application and rank it alongside other applications. After which, the panel will make a funding recommendation to Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). ESRC will make the final funding decision which will be provisional, pending formal project accreditation by the ADR UK Trusted Research Environment and relevant data owners.

Timescale

We aim to complete the assessment process within three months of receiving your application, and the outcomes of the funding panel to be communicated within two weeks of the panel meeting. Once funding decisions have been made and communicated, you will still need time to go through the formal project accreditation process before the fellowship can begin.

Feedback

The form of feedback provided to applicants is reflective of each stage in the assessment process. Applications that progress to a) expert review will receive expert reviewer comments and b) panel stage will find the score range available on our website once the decisions for the opportunity have been processed fully. Additional feedback will not be available.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment (DORA) and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI Principles of Assessment and Decision Making.

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review

Reviewers and panellists are not permitted to use generative AI tools to develop their assessment. Using these tools can potentially compromise the confidentiality of the ideas that applicants have entrusted to UKRI to safeguard.

For more detail see our policy on the use of generative AI.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

  • vision
  • approach
  • applicant capability to deliver
  • career development
  • host organisation support
  • resources and cost justification
  • ethics and responsible research and innovation
  • feasibility data requirements

Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

Contact details

Get help with your application

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page.

The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

Contact details

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact adrfellowships@esrc.ukri.org

For any questions regarding the ONS accreditation and approval process, please contact srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk

If you have a query about a specific dataset, please contact adrcuration@ons.gov.uk

For any questions regarding access to SAIL or SAIL project accreditation process, please contact SAILDatabank@swansea.ac.uk

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

  • Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
  • Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.

For further information on submitting an application read How applicants use the Funding Service.

Additional info

Research and innovation impact

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

Webinars for potential applicants

A schedule of applicant briefing webinars has been designed to support you in applying to this funding opportunity. You can find out more about the content of each of these by visiting our funding opportunity page on the ADR UK website. Our website contains details on specific dates, times and booking links. These webinars will cover as follows:

  • information on the funding opportunity and how to gain secure access to data in ONS and SAIL: delivered by ADR UK staff and ADR UK Trusted Research Environments
  • ADR UK Flagship Dataset briefings: delivered by data owners
  • how to write a good funding application when using administrative data in research: delivered by ADR UK academic partners

Research disruption due to COVID-19

We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:

  • breaks and delays
  • disruptive working patterns and conditions
  • the loss of ongoing work
  • role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic

Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.

Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.

Supporting documents

ADR UK Research Fellowship General Specification (PDF, 193KB)

Equality Impact Assessment form (DOCX, 106KB)

Updates

  • 3 October 2025
    Missing questions added under 'Application questions' in 'How to apply': Feasibility data requirements and Primary discipline classification.

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