Policy Research

Policy Research Programme

The Policy Research Programme (PRP) funds high quality research to deliver robust, relevant, timely, accessible and intelligible evidence to government and arms-length bodies.

Scope

PRP commissions research across the full policy remit of DHSC. PRP funded research will normally:

• provide robust evidence to inform policy development and implementation in timely and accessible ways, including assessment of potential impact and cost-effectiveness
• evaluate policies, including the evaluation of pilots before policies are fully implemented
• tackle policy priorities and evidence needs over the longer term.

The amount of funding available and the funding duration depends on the requirements of the research specification.

PRP funds research through open competitions that are directly competitive commissioning exercises:

• funding competitions are open to all suitably qualified potential applicants
• typically three funding rounds take place each year, each of which has several commissioned funding opportunities
• each funding opportunity specifies the objectives, available budget, and application process. 

PRP has a two stage application process.  At each stage, applications are peer reviewed and the scientific quality and relevance of applications are assessed by an independent funding committee. Please see the guidance for stage 1 and stage 2 applications, and the Standard Information for Applicants, to find out more.

Research proposals are submitted online through the Research Management System. We supply template application forms for stage 1 and stage 2 to help researchers prepare their proposal ahead of submission. 

What we fund

PRP-funded policy research should:

• Be flexible and open to regular input from policy stakeholders. Demonstrable experience of meaningful engagement with policy makers is often a pre-requisite for funding.
• Provide new knowledge needed to improve or evaluate services or policies.
• Ensure findings will be of value to those facing similar problems elsewhere in the health, care and public health systems - that is, be generalisable.

The Policy Research Programme will support:

• Formative and summative evaluations
• Clinical trials
• Longitudinal studies
• Secondary analyses
• Systematic reviews
• Multi-study research initiatives (linked groups of studies providing a range of perspectives on a key policy area or issue).

The programme will not support:

• Animal studies or work on animal tissues
• Experimental medicine research
• Market research, large scale population surveys
• Local service development, clinical evaluation of clinical audit.

View the Policy Research Programme portfolio

Policy Research Units

NIHR Policy Research Units (PRUs) undertake research to inform government and arms-length bodies making policy decisions about health and social care. The units create a critical mass of experts for research in priority areas for health and social care policy.

The 15 units provide both a long-term resource for policy research and a rapid-response service to provide evidence for emerging policy needs. The units also offer advice to policy makers and analysts on the evidence base and options for policy development.

Each university-based PRU hosts a multidisciplinary team of researchers from collaborating institutions.

The 15 units represent a £75 million investment over 5 years.

View the Policy Research Unit portfolio

Here is a table detailing the 15 PRUs and the host organisations:

Our people

The Policy Research Programme assesses research proposals for funding through its core committee. The committee is chaired by a leading academic and is composed of a core membership of academics, professionals, and patients and members of the public drawn from a variety of areas. The committee is often supported by academic subject experts relevant to each separate application.

The committee recommends projects for funding to the Department of Health and Social Care, which approves which projects should be funded.

Members of NIHR Committees are required to declare any interests which conflict, or may be considered to conflict, with NIHR business, or may be perceived as influencing decisions made in the course of their work within NIHR programmes. All members are asked to complete the Register of Interest form (annually), which is intended to capture long term predictable interests that could be perceived to lead to conflicts of interest. These and other interests are judged on a case by case basis at individual meetings.

NIHR registry of interests

Our Committee Chair

Professor Karen Bloor is chair of the Policy Research Programme funding committee.

Our funding committee

See the full membership of the Policy Research Programme funding committee.

Contact us

We offer a wide variety of assistance during all stages of the research process. If in doubt, please get in touch.

Tel: 020 3692 7875
Email: prp@nihr.ac.uk

Our operating hours are 9.00am to 5.00pm

NIHR 
Grange House
15 Church Street
Twickenham TW1 3NL

• Do you need help getting started? Contact the Research Design Service.
• Do you need assistance running your study in the NHS? Contact the Study Support Service.