NIHR funding: what they fund and how to apply

Funder Last checked 11 July 2026

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care to pay for health and social care research, mainly in England. It funds researchers, the NHS, universities, local authorities and charities running studies. Charities are eligible, but usually only to carry out research, often with a partner.

What NIHR funds

NIHR funds health, public health and social care research. Its programmes pay for a wide range of study types, including evidence syntheses, pilot and feasibility studies, randomised controlled trials, and both quantitative and qualitative research. The aim is to produce evidence that improves care and makes NHS and social care services work better.

NIHR does not fund general charity work. It will not pay for service delivery, running costs, campaigning or fundraising. It also will not fund research involving animals or animal tissue. If your project is not a research study, NIHR is not the funder for you.

How much you can apply for

Grant sizes vary widely by programme. Most NIHR programmes do not set an upper funding limit; where a limit applies, the call says so. As one example, the Research for Patient Benefit programme funds individual projects up to £500,000 for up to 36 months. Always read the specific opportunity for the amount and duration that apply.

Who can apply

NIHR accepts applications from individual researchers, academic institutions, local authorities, industry, charities and social care organisations. Applications are made through a “contracting organisation” that takes overall responsibility for the work and its finances. Some programmes restrict who this can be — for example, Research for Patient Benefit requires applications to be made through an NHS body or other provider of NHS services in England.

For most programmes, the lead applicant may need to be based in England, while co-applicants can be from anywhere in the UK. A charity would normally apply as part of a research team rather than on its own.

Deadlines and rounds

NIHR funding is call-based, not rolling. Each programme runs its own funding opportunities with set open and close dates. The Research for Patient Benefit programme, for instance, has three funding opportunities a year. Check the live funding opportunities page for current rounds (242 were listed as open when this profile was checked on 11 July 2026).

How to apply

  1. Find an open funding opportunity that fits your research idea on the NIHR funding opportunities page.
  2. Read the eligibility and scope for that specific programme, including who the contracting organisation must be.
  3. Line up your research team and a partner (often an academic or NHS organisation) if you need one.
  4. Apply through NIHR’s online research management system. Many programmes use a two-stage process: a short outline first, then a full application if invited.
  5. Use the free NIHR Research Support Service (for researchers in England) to help plan and strengthen your application.

Tips

  • NIHR is for research teams, not service-delivery charities. If you run services, this is not the right funder — but it can fund a study you run with a research partner.
  • If you have a research idea, partner early with a university or NHS body. They can often be the lead or contracting organisation and know the process.
  • Match your idea to the right programme before you write anything. Scope and eligibility differ a lot between programmes.

Official source and last updated

Last updated: July 2026. Source: NIHR — Research funding. Always confirm current programmes, limits and dates on the NIHR website before you apply.

Recent grants

Similar funders

You may also want to look at Rosetrees Trust and Brain Research UK, two UK charities that also fund medical research.

Check if your charity is eligible for funders like this — CharityIQ’s free Grant Finder matches your charity to real, published UK funders and cites the source for each. → /grant-finder/

Frequently asked questions

NIHR funds health, public health and social care research. It pays for studies that test treatments, evaluate services, synthesise evidence and improve care in the NHS and social care. It does not fund general charity running costs, service delivery or campaigning. If your project is not a research study, NIHR is not the right funder.

Charities are listed as eligible applicants, but only for research. In practice a small charity would need a credible research study and usually an academic or NHS partner to lead or co-apply. Some programmes require the lead applicant or contracting organisation to be an NHS body in England. If you deliver services rather than run research, NIHR will not fund that work.

It depends on the programme. Most NIHR programmes do not set an upper funding limit; any limit is stated in the call. The Research for Patient Benefit programme funds individual projects up to £500,000 for up to 36 months. Always check the specific opportunity for the limit that applies.

Not evenly. NIHR's domestic programmes primarily fund research in England, and some require an England-based lead applicant, though co-applicants can be from anywhere in the UK. Separate global health programmes fund research for the direct benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries.

You apply to an open funding opportunity through NIHR's online research management system. Many programmes use a two-stage process: a short outline (stage 1) and, if invited, a full application (stage 2). You apply through a contracting organisation that takes overall responsibility. Free application support is available from the NIHR Research Support Service in England.