ADR UK Research Fellowships 2025 (RF2025) is sponsored by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Funding for projects using ADR England flagship datasets, aiming to meet ADR UK Research Fellowship objectives.

ADR UK Research Fellowships 2025 (RF2025) – UKRI Funding opportunity: ADR UK Research Fellowships 2025 (RF2025) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 13 November 2025 9:00am UK time 26 February 2026 4:00pm UK time Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) invites applicants to propose research projects that demonstrate the policy-impact potential of ADR England flagship dataset(s) . 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 funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility, Check if your organisation is eligible . All researchers irrespective of career stage are encouraged to apply. 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) 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. 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: support for people with caring responsibilities alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

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). 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 2025, we invite applications to conduct research and analysis demonstrating the policy impact potential of eligible ADR England flagship datasets .

We are looking for research proposals that utilise ADR England flagship datasets and meet the following four ADR UK Research Fellowship objectives: Useful Research: demonstrate the potential of administrative data research for public policy impact within the timeframes of a fellowship 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: actively participate in and personally contribute to new or existing communities of practice in support of your development as a research leader using administrative data More detail can be found in the ADR UK Research Fellowship General Research Specification (PDF, 214KB) .

The duration of this award is 18 months. Projects must start in September 2026. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £200,000.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) will fund up to 80% of the FEC while 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, 214KB) . 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.

These datasets need to be already available through Trusted Research Environment (TRE) where fellows would be accessing their ADR England flagship dataset or, are pre-existing datasets that can be brought into that TRE (for example, the ONS Secure Research Service (ONS SRS) or Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL)).

Please contact ONS or SAIL 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 TRE (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 TRE and relevant data owners. ADR UK may seek a balanced portfolio of projects across our ADR England flagship dataset collection.

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 TRE (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) 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.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) supports a range of data infrastructure. Where relevant, we encourage applicants to consider whether the use of these resources could add value to the project. See information on finding and using ESRC datasets which are available across the UK.

Where relevant, details of datasets and infrastructure to be used in your project should be given in the Facilities section. 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. The UKDS ( datasharing@ukdataservice.

ac. uk ) will be pleased to advise applicants on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements. 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/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. 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 TRE is the ONS. The UK Statistics Authority will independently assess researchers self-assessment ethics form against outlined Ethical Principles .

Funding 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, 214 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 available to all accredited researchers, are: 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) . 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 identifies where documentation is available to applicants.

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 SAIL is provided as follows.

Preparation for data being accessed via the ONS SRS 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. 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 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: ONS Safe Rooms: a controlled room with bookable terminals, based in the ONS offices in Titchfield and Newport SafePods: small standardised safe settings based at 24 universities across the UK SafePoints: a new secure data access development from the SafePod Network ONS Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) office access ONS Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) remote (home) access 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. See more information about SafePoint on 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.

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 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 TRE. 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 TRE.

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 . ADR UK flagship dataset mentoring programme Building on the strength of its previous fellowship mentoring programme, ADR UK continues to ensure successful applicants can access mentoring support from individuals with expertise in using ADR UK flagship datasets.

A costed mentoring offer is available to all research fellows awarded a grant, regardless of career stage.

Depending on the mentor’s specific skills and experience, the programme can provide: general support in navigating access to data and using admin data for research research expertise related to particular datasets and their associated resources guidance in developing quantitative research skills familiarisation with specific government systems, such as the legal system opportunities to connect with a wider community of researchers working with administrative data Awarded fellows who have identified and costed an ADR UK mentor into their grant application will be assigned a mentor, based on areas of need, determined at the start of the fellowship.

Please note that participation in the ADR UK flagship dataset mentoring programme is optional and can be utilised in addition to any institutional mentorship that an applicant self-initiates. 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.

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. Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page: Confirm you are the fellow.

Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this funding opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.

Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service.

All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. Send the completed application to your research office for checking.

They will return it to you if it needs editing. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. When including images, you must: provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit) insert each new image on a new line.

use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words.

The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include: sentences or paragraphs of text excessive quantities of images A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: how applicants use the Funding Service how research offices use the Funding Service how reviewers use the Funding Service Applications should be self-contained, and hyperlinks should only be used to provide links directly to reference information. To ensure the information’s integrity is maintained, where possible, persistent identifiers such as digital object identifiers should be used.

Assessors are not required to access links to carry out assessment or recommend a funding decision. Applicants should use their discretion when including reference and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.

References should be included in the appropriate question section of the application and be easily identifiable by the assessors for example (Smith, Research Paper, 2019) You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. General use of hyperlinks Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information.

You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.

For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment . ESRC must receive your application by 26 February 2026 at 4. 00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time. Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines. Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment.

If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications. We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely.

For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice . If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email esrcenquires@esr. ukri.

org Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include: individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave) additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection the application is an invited resubmission For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice .

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. This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

ESRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at What ESRC has funded . If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research . 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: the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of: the challenge the project addresses potential applications and benefits meeting the objectives of ADR UK by ensuring research benefits public good alignment with the ADR UK general research specification (PDF, 214KB) your chosen ADR England flagship dataset List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: professional enabling staff research and innovation associate Only list one individual as fellow.

UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors