Spend 18 months as a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) core policy fellow, a Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellow or a What Works Innovation fellow to inform policy to address pressing national and global challenges.

You will:

• co-design research with the host organisation to inform policy on a priority area

• help improve the exchange of knowledge between policy and academic institutions

You must:

• be based at a UK based employing organisation eligible for UKRI funding

• have a PhD or equivalent experience

• be a researcher in an eligible discipline in accordance with the specific position applied for

Who can apply

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

Who is eligible to apply

This funding opportunity is open to academics who hold a PhD or equivalent research experience as well as relevant subject matter or methodological expertise.

Policy fellowship opportunities with a UK or devolved government host are aimed at early to mid-career academics with an interest in learning more about connecting academic research with policy making.  Fellowships with a What Works Network host are open to applicants of all career stages.

Please see the full list of host specific fellowship positions in the ‘Additional information’ section. These include an overview of the proposed research areas and policy challenges that the fellowship will focus on, the person specification for each fellowship and any relevant eligibility criteria including any security clearance requirements. You must ensure that you are able to meet these requirements before submitting an application.

Who is not eligible to apply

Academics who have already undertaken or are currently undertaking a UKRI policy fellowship.

Person specification

You must:

• be a researcher in the remits relevant to the specific position applied for or be able to demonstrate how you could generate interdisciplinary insights through combining these disciplines with other recognised academic disciplines. Please see each host specific fellowship positions for more details on eligibility

• be based at an eligible UKRI research organisation

• hold a PhD or equivalent research experience

• meet any additional eligibility and person specification criteria for the fellowship you are applying for (see ‘Additional information’)

• have subject matter and analytical expertise and skills relevant to the specific fellowship position you are applying for (see ‘Additional information’)

• be able to work effectively at pace to deliver expected outcomes, including working as part of a team on shared goals

• have the ability to communicate complex information and analysis

• have the ability to demonstrate the use of expertise in a non-academic context

• have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into meaningful narrative that is accessible to a non-academic audience

• possess excellent stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills

• be interested in working in a governmental context

• have the ability to design and lead on knowledge exchange activity between research, policy and funder communities

Fellows will be required to:

• sign a fellowship agreement between the government or What Works Network host (the partner) and the relevant employing research organisation (the employer)

• meet the security checks and other clearance and declaration of interest processes required by the host (see specific fellowship positions)

• observe the provisions of the  Civil Service code and the Official Secrets Act 1989 when hosted by a government department or other public body

It is a condition of the funding opportunity that host organisations, fellows and their employers will need to have a fellowship agreement in place for the start of the fellowship. This will be provided by the host organisation in line with their specific policies and procedures. A model agreement developed by UKRI is provided to potential applicants for information only.

Attendance and location requirements are set out in the work arrangement section of each specific fellowship positions in ‘Additional information’. By applying for the fellowship, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the attendance and location requirements. In addition, fellows will be expected to undertake, and travel for, knowledge exchange activities and will be asked to attend events with the wider UKRI policy fellow cohort. Not all these activities can be planned in advance of starting the fellowship. By applying for the fellowship, you are acknowledging and agreeing to this possibility of additional travel.

The applicant’s employing organisation must provide mentorship support for early career researchers, including but not limited to:

• generic project development

• engagement and dissemination support

• project-specific thematic, methodological or data support (if necessary). See ‘What we are looking for’ for more information

Please note that applicants are required to demonstrate that they hold a PhD or equivalent experience. This is to extend eligibility to individuals who have been in a research focused role for a substantial period but have not obtained a PhD. Being enrolled in a PhD programme or close to finalising one is not sufficient on its own to demonstrate equivalence. Applicants who wish to make a case for equivalency will need to demonstrate that they have achieved a post-doctoral level of research expertise and experience while working in a professional research role, whether or not they are also engaged in a PhD programme. They should demonstrate this as part of the ‘Career development’ question.

We recognise that career stages are not linear and we support people from a diversity of career paths and trajectories. For appropriate assessment of this funding opportunity, applicants should determine their suitability to the scheme as either an early or mid-career researcher (unless applying for a What Works innovation fellowship which is open to all career stages), using the following guidelines:

• an early career researcher is somebody who has yet to establish or transition to independence (where an independent researcher has submitted their own proposal and taken on the role of project lead); there are no eligibility rules based on years since PhD or whether you currently hold a permanent or open-ended job role

• a mid-career researcher is somebody who has established independence, having, for example, taken on the role of project lead, published works of intellectual distinction, or established a significant track record as a ‘champion’ within their field. This would not ordinarily include professors but may include assistant or associate professors, where the applicant can make the justification that they meet the mid-career descriptor

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. The scheme supports those returning from a career break or following time in other roles and, during the fellowship, award holders benefit from a flexible scheme that allows part-time working and alternative working patterns and support for people with caring responsibilities.

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

What we're looking for

Aim

Apply for funding for 18 months as a UKRI policy fellow to:

• be embedded in a UK or devolved government host organisation or What Works Network member

• collaborate on research activity to address pressing national and global challenges

Scope

Addressing the challenges and opportunities facing citizens, society and the economy requires an integrated, thriving and inclusive research-policy system that can act as a catalyst for innovation, social and institutional change. Central to this is enabling researchers and policymakers to collaborate and build relationships that are rich, deep and can be sustained.

Opportunities that help people move between research and policy communities to share and develop their knowledge and capabilities are a key mechanism to help develop this collaborative, connected system.

UKRI fund a cohort of policy fellows. Fellows will provide research and expert advice on the host’s policy priority areas and support wider knowledge exchange between government, policy, and academia.

This high-profile initiative provides a route for you to bring your expertise to bear on critical policy challenges facing governments across the UK, as well as to generate new insights into how to best support effective collaboration and knowledge exchange that will shape your career as well as support wider change.

These fellowships are demanding and intellectually stimulating roles, providing an exciting opportunity to combine your specialist knowledge and research expertise with the opportunity to inform decision-makers at the heart of policymaking.

Three types of fellowship are offered:

Core policy fellows

Core policy fellows will be based within UK or devolved government, or an arm’s length body focusing on key public policy priority areas. Where applicable for Whitehall and arm’s length body hosts these will align to the government missions of:

• kickstarting economic growth

• an NHS fit for the future

• safer streets

• break down barriers to opportunity

• make Britain a clean energy superpower

• building strong foundations

Core policy fellowships are open to early and mid-career researchers.

Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellows

Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellows will be based within UK or devolved government, or an arm’s length body. The Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellowships will enable early and mid-career researchers to work closely with policy makers to support preparedness for risks posed by natural hazards. For this opportunity Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellowships are defined as risks with a non-malicious cause. Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellows will work closely with policy makers to help build resilience against natural hazards, that is, extreme natural events or situations that could cause or threaten serious damage to human welfare. This would include a spectrum of potential natural hazards with a clear focus on human impact such as:

• health risks (including infectious disease)

• flooding

• loss of essential services like power, food, water, and telecoms

What Works Innovation fellowships

What Works Innovation fellowships are open to all career stages and fellows will be based within the What Works Network to increase the supply of and demand for evidence to address priorities in the hosts’ policy areas of:

• educational achievement

• crime reduction

• children and families

• improving quality of life for older people

• higher education

In total this funding opportunity offers 42 fellowships across the three fellowship sub cohorts:

Hosts offering Core policy fellowships

• Cabinet Office

• Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

• Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

• Department for Education (DfE)

• Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)

• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

• Gambling Commission

• GO-Science

• HM Treasury (HMT)

• Home Office (HO)

• Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

• Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

• Northern Ireland Executive

• Ofsted

• Scottish Government

• Welsh Government

Hosts offering Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellowships

• Cabinet Office

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

• Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)

• Environment Agency

• Scottish Government

• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)

Hosts offering What Works Innovation fellowships

• Centre for Ageing Better

• College of Policing What Works Centre for Crime Reduction

• Education Endowment Foundation

• Foundations: What Works Centre for Children and Families

• Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO)

• Wales Centre for Public Policy

We ask that you do not contact the host to discuss or endorse your application.

Fellows will be uniquely positioned to:

• provide research and expert advice on the host’s policy priority areas, including co-designing and delivering research projects and activities

• engage in knowledge exchange (KE) activities across government and academia

• join a cohort of fellows to build longer-term networks across research and policy

• build lasting connections between the policymaking and research communities

• generate and share new knowledge and insights on effective policy collaboration with the wider research community and with funders of this funding opportunity

For full details about each fellowship available, see the documents in ‘Additional information’.

The fellowship cohort will be organised around the key policy priority areas including, where applicable, the government missions.

Objectives and expectations of fellows

Fellows will:

• scope and lead research-related activity with the host

• work closely with hosts to ensure alignment of priorities and that analysis is as robust and useful as possible in driving decisions

• provide advice and peer review to other aspects of the host’s work

• support capability building within host in your area of expertise

• support hosts and funders of this opportunity in the evaluation of the fellowship programme and improvement of future schemes

• actively participate in the UKRI policy fellow cohort, designed to facilitate greater knowledge exchange, capacity building and impact potential across the cohort’ of investment. This will include attending approximately six policy training workshops

Fellows will also strengthen engagement between government and academia through activities such as:

• connecting with related UKRI research portfolios, acting as a pipeline for knowledge exchange between them and hosts

• publishing outputs from analysis produced, subject to clearance processes

• knowledge exchange activities with academic institutions and other analytical and policy teams within government and intermediaries

Benefits for fellows

The UKRI Policy Fellowship scheme offers an exciting opportunity to develop your career and enhance your understanding of applying research in government contexts.

Benefits for successful fellows will include:

• the opportunity to undertake cutting edge research, enhance knowledge and potentially access new and novel data

• the opportunity to inform decision-making on the most pressing policy problems of our time

• a better understanding of government analysis, operations, policymaking, data usage, and priority areas for research

• the ability to build your network of policy and analytical professionals within government and across the What Works Network

• actively participating in a cohort of policy fellows to enhance impact potential and further career development

• the opportunity to access a public policy focused mentoring offer

• the potential to influence future policy-academia collaborations

• the opportunity for publication across policy and academia, subject to clearance processes

During your placement you will have line management and support from the host organisation, and throughout your fellowship you will also regularly engage with and receive support from UKRI.

In addition, if you are an early career researcher you will benefit from funded mentorship support from a more senior researcher in your employing organisation.

Duration

The duration of this award is 18 months, comprising:

• three months inception phase for project set up

• 12 months main placement with host

• three months knowledge exchange phase

All fellowships within this funding opportunity are expected to start in February 2026.

Your start date should not be before 1 February 2026. Your grant should be a proposed duration of 18 months. Please make sure the start date and duration is in line with the required start of the inception phase and duration of the core placement for the fellowship you are applying for, as detailed in the specific fellowship positions.

What you will be doing

Fellows will co-design projects and activities with their host and produce analysis to inform government decision-making across a range of policy priorities.

During the inception stage of the fellowship, you will work with your host to refine the focus and priorities for your placement. Alongside these specific activities, during your placement you will also engage across the host organisation, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers.

You will also be supported to network and collaborate with fellows in other host departments and What Works Network members, and to connect with relevant research communities. You will have dedicated time within the placement with the host reserved for activities that strengthen engagement between policy and academia, and for engagement with the UKRI’s policy fellow cohort.

Fellows will also be supported for an additional period of three months, after the main placement, to complete agreed knowledge exchange, publication and impact activity.

For full details about each fellowship available, see the documents in ‘Additional information’.

Data

Please note there is more linked administrative data securely accessible for research than ever before. Where relevant we would encourage applicants and hosts to consider whether the use of these research resources could add value to the project. Please find more details in the ADR UK Data Catalogue, an accessible document to understand what data is currently available and the potential of this data.

Similarly, Smart Data Research UK (SDR UK) is a national programme with a mission to unlock the power of data generated through everyday interactions with digital devices. Researchers will be able access and use this data safely to understand and address social, economic and environmental challenges. Currently the SDR UK programme is establishing six new data services which will provide secure access to a wealth of smart data. For now, smart data can be accessed through existing data centres; Access CDRC dataset catalogue, Access UBDC dataset catalogue.

ESRC’s Data Strategy and Infrastructure programme manages approximately 30 resources that are free at the point of use, and we would encourage you to consider where their usage would be relevant and add value to the project. Further information on some of the resources supported within the Data Strategy and Infrastructure portfolio can be found on the ESRC Facilities and Resources page.

Inception phase

The inception phase is expected to commence in February 2026 and be used:

• to co-produce your final fellowship scope, project and planned activities with your host

• for other preliminary activity required to support this, such as data access

• for induction into the policy fellows’ cohort and training programme

• for completing any necessary onboarding and induction process with your host department and finalising security clearance

Your expected time commitment during this period is 0.4 full-time equivalent (FTE). During this period, you will remain based at your employing institution but will join in-person or virtual inception meetings with your host and UKRI.

Placement with hosts

All fellows are expected to start the main placement with their host after the 3-month inception phase and once the project scope has been agreed. You can undertake this placement full or part time (0.6 FTE minimum) for 12 months. See ‘Additional Information’ for FTE expectations in relation to each specific fellowship position.

During the main placement phase your activities might include:

• scoping and leading research-related activity with the host

• providing advice and peer review to other aspects of the host’s work

• supporting capability building within host department in your area of expertise

• strengthening engagement between government and academia

Line management and support will be provided by the host and each host will have their specific requirements regarding place of work (see specific fellowship position).

During this period, you will also be expected to take up opportunities for connection with UKRI and the wider cohort of fellows.

Knowledge exchange phase

After the placement completes you will return to your employing institution and will be supported for three months to:

• maximise knowledge exchange and impact through agreed wider engagement and publication activity

• share learnings about engaging and influencing policymakers with the wider academic community

Your expected time commitment during this period is 0.4 FTE. Your plan for activities for this period will be further defined and agreed with your host and UKRI.

During this period, you will continue to be expected to take up opportunities for connection with UKRI and the wider cohort of fellows. After your fellowship award completes, you will join an alumni network to support ongoing opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange.

Outputs and reporting

You will be expected to produce outputs for academic and non-academic audiences based on your work as agreed during the inception phase.

Please note that in some cases published outputs will be subject to clearance by your host, but that all hosts are committed to supporting opportunities for fellows to publish as part of this fellowship.

In addition to standard UKRI reporting requirements, you may also be asked to submit additional information to support wider UKRI strategic objectives and scheme evaluation.

Funding available

Core policy fellowships

The full economic cost (FEC) of your fellowship can be up to £180,000.

UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.

Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellowships

The FEC of your project can be up to £280,000 (inclusive of an additional £100,00 budget for research and collaboration costs).

UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.

What Works Innovation fellowships

The FEC of your project can be up to £220,000 (inclusive of an additional £40,000 budget for research and collaboration costs).

UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.

All fellowships

With the fellowships being co-designed at inception phase all applications must include a mandatory budget of £15,000 flexible funding to support:

• additional placement-specific travel and subsistence costs

• placement-specific mentorship

• specific training requirements or that are identified during the fellowship (inc. the inception phase)

In addition to the £15,000 flexible funding, applications to the What Works Innovation fellows must include a research and collaboration budget of £40,000 and applications to the Natural Hazards and Resilience Fellows must include a research and collaboration budget of £100,000.

This additional research and collaboration budget for What Works Innovation and Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellows must be used for additional co-production, collaboration and research needs within the fellowship. Expenditure plans for the research and collaboration budget will be determined during the inception phase and should be co-designed with the host. These plans should be shared with UKRI by the end of the fellowship inception phase. Please note:

• this budget could be used to cover directly incurred staff costs (that is, research assistants), or other directly incurred costs for research and collaboration such as surveys, interviews, secondary data analysis, participation in steering groups and so on

• expenditure of this budget should be in line with UKRI Terms and Conditions and directly support the objectives of the UKRI Policy Fellowships programme

• the research and collaboration budget cannot be used to support the core costs of the fellowship. For example, fellow’s salary costs

All fellowships are available on either a full-time or part-time basis. Please see the description in each specific fellowship position for full details.

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.

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.

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