Funding opportunities from UKRI: Policy Fellowships 2026
Category: Funding opportunities
23 June 2026
UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) has launched the 2026 funding call for Policy Fellowships, offering 50 embedded fellowship positions across 26 host partners spanning UK government departments, devolved governments, arm’s length bodies, and What Works Centres.
The UKRI Policy Fellowships programme, taking place over 18 months, is designed to strengthen knowledge exchange between academia and policy, supporting the movement of researchers into government settings to apply cutting-edge research in order to address national and global policy issues.
The closing date for applications is 16:00 on Thursday 10 September 2026.
Consider using ADR UK flagship datasets in your project
ADR UK flagship datasets are a national asset with the potential to meet the evidence needs of public sector policymakers and practitioners. These datasets are securely available to accredited researchers through trusted research environments, enabling access to high-value linked administrative data for policy-relevant research.
These flagship datasets are referenced in UKRI guidance as part of the wider national data infrastructure that applicants are encouraged to consider when developing proposals, particularly where there is potential to generate new insights on major societal challenges.
The fellowship timeline means that applicants should consider feasibility at an early stage. Given the time required for secure data access approvals, existing users of ADR UK data may be particularly well placed to respond. Where new access is required, applicants are encouraged to seek advice from dataset experts to assess feasibility within the fellowship timeframe.
The fellowship themes also align closely with ADR UK’s core research domains, where linked administrative data can provide valuable evidence, particularly in areas relating to economic growth, opportunity, health, justice, housing and place-based policy.
Policy Fellowships on offer
Fellowships are organised into three strands:
- Core Policy fellowships (focused on priority areas across UK and devolved government)
- Natural Hazards and Resilience Policy Fellowships (focused on system resilience and preparedness)
- What Works Innovation Fellowships (focused on homelessness, policing and place, and open to researchers at all career stages)
Researchers working with linked administrative data may be particularly interested in opportunities focused on:
- Economic growth, productivity and industrial strategy – including fellowships with the Department for Business and Trade, Northern Ireland Department for the Economy, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Scottish Government.
- Health and health inequalities – including fellowships with Public Health Wales, the Department of Health and Social Care, Food Standards Agency, UK Health Security Agency, and Scottish Government.
- Justice, crime and public safety – including fellowships with the Ministry of Justice and Home Office.
- Education and opportunity – including fellowships with the Department for Education and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
- Housing, place and local government – including fellowships with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Environment Agency, Centre for Homelessness Impact, and Wales Centre for Public Policy.
- Data, AI and evidence use in government – including fellowships with the Ministry of Justice, UK Health Security Agency, Cabinet Office and Gambling Commission.
These examples are not exhaustive, and applicants are encouraged to explore the full range of fellowship opportunities available through the scheme.
Becoming a UKRI Policy Fellow
The programme supports the development of analytical capability across government and the wider administrative data research community, helping researchers deepen their understanding of policymaking, government data use, and evidence needs.
Fellows will benefit from mentoring, training and networking opportunities, and will join a cohort of researchers working across policy areas.
Further information
Details on eligibility, participating hosts and application guidance – including how to apply – are available via the UKRI Policy Fellowships 2026 call information.
